Being single is definitely fun. You can do what you like, party with friends and go on as many dates as you want. There’s definitely an appeal to being carefree and choosing to stay that way. However, once you realize you’re ready for a relationship – that’s where things get a bit tricky. We’re used to thinking that there’s plenty of fish in the sea and if this date doesn’t go well, it’s not a big deal. There’s always someone else out there you can swipe right on. However, if you want to avoid terrible first dates there’s a couple of tips you should probably keep in mind. So let’s talk about the biggest turn offs you should avoid if you’re ready to leave the singles scene.
1. Having Nothing In Common
Looking great, being stylish, working out and just being blessed with good looks will definitely attract people to you, but there’s no chance of forming a meaningful connection based on those things alone. It might work for a date or two, but in the end, if you have nothing to talk about, it’s not really going to work out. You can’t just stare at each other and call that a relationship. You need to have common interests, similar tastes in music or art or films, at least a similar outlook on life. So when agreeing to go out on a date with someone, make sure you have at least something in common. It won’t guarantee you a “happy ending” but hey, at least you won’t be bored on a date.
2. Rudeness
Being rude might look cool in movies and TV shows we watch, it makes the characters more interesting and eccentric. You might like House M.D. for his sarcastic nature and you might love Sherlock for his complete disregard of social norms, people’s feelings and his witty, borderline offensive deductions, but, unfortunately, those things don’t translate well to real life situations. If you’re going to be rude to someone they won’t think you’re brilliant, yet slightly antisocial, they’ll just think you’re being rude, and no one wants to waste their time on rude people. So yeah, save your sarcastic remarks and blunt deductions for later times, and be polite to whoever you’re on a date with.
3. Being On The Phone
Speaking of being rude, constantly checking your phone, sending off texts or checking out your social media notifications is also considered very rude, especially on a date. You might think it makes you look busy, important or popular, but really, it just looks like you’d rather be at home, on your phone than out on a date. It’s always better to switch off your phone on the first date, or at least, turn off notifications. Actually, just keep your phone in your purse or facedown on the table, if there’s an emergency – people will call you and you’ll know, but all your twitter drama can wait.
4. Bringing Up Your Ex
This should be a no-brainer, yet some people still make the mistake of bringing up their past relationships and their exes while out on a date. No one wants to hear about how your ex dumped you or cheated on you, or whatever else it was that caused your previous relationship to end. It’s a sad topic that isn’t likely to expose you in the best light. People go on dates to meet new people and have a good time, so steer clear of that topic. You can probably share some hilarious anecdotes about the bad or awkward dates you’ve had in the past, if you must but don’t rely on that. There are so many other things you could be talking about.
5.Smoking
This might not be a big deal to you, but a lot of people don’t like smokers. It’s not like they will completely disregard you as a human just because you smoke, but no one really wants to hang out with someone who smells like an ashtray and needs to pop outside for a quick smoke break every 20 minutes. It’s always best to just not smoke on the first date and figure out how the other person feels about this. Perhaps they won’t mind, maybe they’re also a smoker, in which case it won’t be a big deal, but still don’t take that as an invitation to start puffing right there and then. For others it might be a deal breaker, so keep that in mind.
