Wander Talks: Episode 6 – First Date Etiquette
Coffee at an italian cafe is probably a go.
In this episode of Wander Talks, I am joined again by my friends Kenny Davis and Will Nogueira to talk about the do’s and don’ts about first dates. First dates, as we all know, tend to be the most awkward experiences, and can leave us scarred or swept away. It’s all depends on the happenings within the date itself. So many factors come into discussion when trying to decipher what should and shouldn’t happen. Kenny, Will, and I spent a great deal of time trying to tackle as many topics as possible.
What To Wear
This is incredibly difficult and heavily dependent on what the date entails. That is, if you know what your getting yourself into. Besides the obvious outfit choices between outdoors-activities and dinner-dates, girls and guys can have some trouble deciding what is appropriate. Girls may worry that their outfit is too revealing or too conservative. Guys may be hesitant to pull out the nice button downs or to just throw on a basic t-shirt. We touched on this topic frequently, attempting to decide what provides the most comfort for each other, what constitutes “appropriate” attire, and how dressed up you should get for a first date.
Where To Go
This is also a very hard factor to determine when planning a first date. The cliche “dinner and movie” may have faded out in popularity ratings because of the sheer awkwardness of eating and then sitting in a theatre without a word exchanged. Will, Kenny, and I threw around possible date venues like restaurants, bars, and activities like go-carting and tossed around the pro’s and cons of each. Bars introduce a social environment that can also bring about uncomfortable run-ins and loud surroundings. Restaurants are traditional, but do leave you staring at one another in attempts to hold a conversation for over an hour (and not to mention the awkward paycheck moment). Will made a good point about the benefits of activities: how it gives you something to talk about, forced interaction, and an opportunity to see how you both “click.”
How To Be
This may be the hardest one of them all: “Should I kiss them?” “Should we not touch?” “Should we drink?” These are questions everyone think when going out on a first date. Jumping back to the topic of appropriateness, many people differ in opinions when it comes to picking a girl up for a first date, or if one should lay a hand on the other at all. Opinions definitely differed in conversation between the guys and myself. One thing we did agree on was the introduction of alcohol. This “liquid confidence” was agreed to be the absolute worse thing to be brought out on a first date. From possible vomit to obnoxious conversation, we all could safely agree that drinking to inebriation would be a bad idea.
In general, first dates are almost impossible anticipate. It’s safe to assume that you’ll run into awkward moments and uncomfortable conversations. Basically, the best thing to do on a first date is to throw expectations out the window. Be as respectful a possible, pay attention to body language, and embrace your awkwardness. Even if it’s a disaster, at least you’ll have a story to take from it and wisdom to share.
