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7 Ways To Take Your First Date To The Next Level

Nishka Dhawan
Grace Moon
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NYU chapter.

We’ve all been there. The nerves. The excitement. The anxiety. Whether it’s a Tinder date, a blind date or a date with your crush, we’ve got some tips to help you lock down that second date and have a great time at your first.

 

Dress For The Occasion

 

 

This one’s a no-brainer. Don’t wear six-inch heels to a cafe or prep a red carpet make-up look as if the both of you are attending a film premiere. Wear something cute but also make sure it fits the vibe you are trying to exude! 

If your date says the location is a surprise, stay on the safe side and keep your style casual but sophisticated. Worried about the setting? Ask your date what would be the best attire for the surprise location.  

Extra tip: Spraying some perfume doesn’t hurt either but make sure you know your date isn’t allergic to it. Some are!

 

Don’t Be Afraid To Take The Bill

 

 

This one’s always on the back of all our minds. Who gets the bill? There are two ways you can go about this. You can either let the person who asked out the other one take the check or you can offer to split it between the both of you. Try not to make it complicated.

 If your date is still adamant about getting the bill, stop arguing and suggest that you get the check the next time! Instant set-up for a second date, right here!

 

Be A Good Listener

 

Don’t try to act mysterious all night and dodge his or her questions. Your date wants to get to know you so be open about the embarrassing, hilarious and adventurous things you have done. The more open you seem, the more comfortable they will become.

 

If you are worried your date might not be interested in every single detail, shift the conversation to him or her and ask them questions. The point we always forget about dates is that it’s our first chance to see how well we would communicate in a relationship. Smooth conversation can go a long way so be patient, be inquisitive and be your natural self.

 

Take Your Time

 

If your date leans in to kiss you and you’re not quite ready for it, don’t back away into a corner. Be upfront about it. Everyone has a different pace. There is nothing to be embarrassed about wanting to take things slowly.

 

But, if you are feeling the kiss, go for it! There isn’t an arbitrary rule that you shouldn’t kiss on the first date. It’s honestly whatever works best for the both of you. Just make sure you both consent to it and aren’t uncomfortable!

 

Stow Away Your Phone

 

This one’s another easy one but people often forget this in our social media-obsessed world.You are on your date to enjoy each other’s company, not your phones. Put that phone away before the date begins and give your date your full attention. After all, wouldn’t you expect the same treatment?

 

Handy Tip : Stowing your phone in your bag, rather than placing it on the table will help suppress your temptation to swipe through your Facebook updates.

 

Don’t Leave A Date Halfway If It’s Not Fun

If the date’s not fun, don’t just make up a silly excuse and just leave. We all have that one friend on SOS ‘just in case’ the date takes a dark turn. But if it doesn’t, don’t back out halfway. It is disrespectful and everyone knows that your “friend is in ER” excuse is highly unlikely to be true.

 

 

Feeling like the date isn’t going where you wanted it to go? Take deep breaths, calm your thoughts and pull through unless there is a seriously concerning element there.

Also, if you really liked this person before the date, it doesn’t hurt to give them a second chance! Things might even be better the second time. 

 

Most Important Tip : Have Fun.

It’s going to be great, don’t stress out! Here are some ways to stay calm before your date!

 

Images: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

 

  Nishka Dhawan is an NYU alumnus. She graduated with a double major in Psychology and Journalism and has been a freelance writer and blogger ever since. She's written for CNN Underscored, Mogul, and most recently started working as a tech writer for Digital Trends. When she's not writing you can find her nestling in with a good book while listening to her favorite tunes. Reach out to her at nishka1997@gmail.com to share your controversial opinions and stories.         
Grace is currently a senior at New York University majoring in Journalism and Media Studies. Although born in California and raised in Dallas, Texas, Grace considers Seoul, South Korea to be her home sweet home. At school, Grace serves as the Editor-In-Chief at Her Campus NYU, President at Freedom for North Korea (an issue very personal to her), and Engagement Director of the Coalition of Minority Journalists. She is currently interning at Turner's Strategic Communications team while serving as a PA at CNN. In her free time, Grace loves to sing jazz, run outside, read the news, go on photography excursions, and get to know people around her-- hence, her passion for conducting Her Campus profiles. She can be reached at: gracemoon@hercampus.com