How To Kick Butt on a First Date

First dates. We all know the feeling. It can be pretty nerve-wracking. Will he/she like me back? Will they think I'm cute/funny or maybe they'll think I talk too much? Do I talk too much?! These are all thoughts that go through our heads leading up to and during the first date! In this day and age where meeting people from dating apps is more and more common, it can be even more nerve-wracking meeting up with someone you haven't met in real life yet. Maybe your in-app conversations have been flowing as smoothly as self-serve froyo, but will it be the same in-person?!

Fear not. As an average looking person who has relied solely on my personality to get through first dates and secure that all-important second date, here are my tips!

1. Be yourself!

Now, this sounds like such a cliche and you probably rolled your eyes reading that, but trust me, this is so important. If he/she says on the date, for example, "Do you like **insert obscure tv show title here**?" You should respond with the truth, instead of listening to them go on a tangent about said obscure show while you sit there clueless and sweating, waiting for them to ask you a question about this show you know nothing about. Who cares if they judge you for not having the same taste in music/TV/whatever as them? If they do judge you for that, then they're not worth your second date! The most important thing about being yourself is that this will help the conversation to flow, and people appreciate honesty. If you're a funny/goofy/wacky person, be that person! Don't try to hide anything; the right person will like you for exactly who you are! Sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. Down to earth people are the best kind of people!

2. DON'T say, "You don't really look like your photos."

This only applies to people who met on dating apps, yes, but dang is it a downer. Now, if this person is an absolute catfish who literally looks 100 percent different than their pics then, yeah, that is a cause for concern. But if it's just the case that the person is smaller than you thought they were in their pics or chubbier/skinnier/whatever the case may be, there is nothing worse than making them feel bad about this. Trust me, I have heard so many friends tell me that on a first date people have made some sort of negative comment about their online dating profile and it's done nothing but make them feel bad. Try and say something positive! Like, "oh, I really liked that photo of you at the Dodgers game!" which also shows you paid attention to their profile, and this brings you into some good conversation ground about their hobbies! Winning!

3. Don't be afraid to be the one to ask them for a second date!

Sometimes we spend so long waiting for them to text/ask us out that we second guess ourselves and lose faith in ourselves! I, as a female, have approached guys before and asked them out and they've always been pleasantly surprised and very happy to see the girl make the first move. Whatever the case may be, put yourself out there! It's worth a shot! And if they're not down, you know you've tried and done your very best!

Best of luck!!