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Every first date is a crucial step along the path to a relationship.
Still, they can be awkward, frustrating, confusing and heartbreaking, depending on how each person goes about the date. Trying to tick all the boxes can be hard, but not impossible.
And how do you figure out how a person feels about you — or tell them how you feel about them — without either of you feeling uncomfortable?
Dating is a tricky business, but here are some guidelines that'll keep you successful and in the mix!
Our writers explore and prepare you for the thoughts and feelings we all experience on our dating journey to keep things fun and interesting.
Check out some of our favourites: Online dating advice: Kate Taylor - Seven Steps To The Perfect First Email Mind, body and soul: Lara Loveless - 5 Ways To Improve Your Dating Success Without Actually Dating Insights into the dating world: Laura Yates - Eliminating Game Playing In Dating Exciting and interesting date ideas: Seb Goshawk - Our Top Free Dating Ideas In London Keep up to date with all the latest articles over at the Match dating blog and make sure you’re as ready to start meeting new people!
Then of course there's what to do on a first date. Readers have responded in droves, but still there isn't really consensus on the topic yet. But let's not go overboard either - I'm not talking getting every first date a gift.
My take is still that whomever asked for the date should pay, but I've been swayed a few times now on this stance. Think more thought-provoking and fun, or at least a conversation starter. And according to both several polls and our readers, it happens a fair amount.
Learn how to have a perfect first date that includes few mishaps and a lot of laughs, fun and memories to last forever. It varies depending on the situation and the people involved, but my favorites are those that felt like two minutes had passed when it was more like two hours. Just try to remember that you want something where you can get your heart rate up a bit as well as find time to connect, while still doing something you'll both remember no matter how things pan out.
Success could also be measured in whether or not a second date occurs, although some people might feel instead that if a spark was felt, that's all that matters. One of the most heated conversations that has occurred throughout the years on this site has been the question of who pays on a date. It makes the event even more memorable, plus you're showing that you've really invested some time into what the person you're meeting might enjoy.