(Image Courtesy of: theblack-board.com)

By: Britney Glover

When​ ​I​ ​think​ ​of​ ​first​ ​dates,​ ​in​ ​my​ ​opinion,​ ​they​ ​can​ ​either​ ​go​ ​really​ ​well​ ​or​ ​really​ ​awkward in a blink of an eye.​ ​

A​ ​first date​ ​with​ ​someone​ ​you​ ​know​ has the potential to go well because a comfort level has already been established. A first date with a stranger​ can go well but also has the potential to really suck​ and ​be extremely​ ​awkward​ ​because​ ​this person is as new to you as a foreign language.​ ​I​ ​mean​ ​think​ ​about​ ​it.​ ​If​ ​you have​ ​history​ ​with​ ​someone​ ​and​ ​you​ ​decide​ ​to​ ​go​ ​on​ ​a​ ​date​ ​with​ ​him/her,​ ​it’s​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​lot easier​ ​to​ ​bond​ ​with​ ​the​ ​other​ ​person​ ​than​ ​with​ ​a​ ​complete​ ​stranger.​ ​And​ ​that’s​ ​simply​ ​because with​ ​the​ ​person​ ​you​ ​have​ ​history​ ​with,​ ​you​ ​have​ ​more​ ​than​ ​likely​ ​established​ ​a​ ​friendship.​ ​And when​ ​a​ ​friendship​ ​is​ ​established,​ ​it​ ​sets​ ​the​ ​foundation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​date​ ​and​ ​allows​ ​the atmosphere​ ​to​ ​become​ ​more​ ​relaxed.​ ​At that point, both​ ​parties​ ​are​ ​able​ ​to​ ​enjoy​ ​each​ ​other’s​ ​company,​ ​and slightly​ ​let​ ​their​ ​guards​ ​down​ enough ​to​ ​allow​ ​a conversation​ ​to​ ​take​ ​place.​ ​With​ ​a​ ​person​ ​you​ ​know,​ ​you will​ ​most​ ​likely​ ​have​ ​similarities​ ​between​ ​the​ ​two​ ​of​ ​you,​ ​which​ ​could​ ​also​ ​make​ ​the​ ​date​ ​more engaging. This would basically be the 50 percent chance you lucked up and found bae.

However,​ ​there​ ‘s also​ ​that​ ​other​ ​50​ ​percent chance​ ​of​ ​the​ ​date​ ​being​ ​completely​ ​awkward​ and finding out 10 minutes in, you ran out of luck and ended up with a duck. ​There’s​ ​reasons for this though.​ ​One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​reasons​ ​being​ ​the​ ​most​ ​obvious, which​ ​is​ ​that​ ​you​ ​simply​ ​don’t​ ​know the​ ​other​ ​person​ ​at​ ​all.​ ​You​ ​have​ ​no​ ​idea​ ​what​ ​to​ ​expect.​ ​You​ ​don’t​ ​know​ ​what​ ​the​ ​other​ ​person likes.​ ​You​​ ​feel​ as ​comfortable​ ​opening​ ​up​ ​to​ ​the​ ​other​ ​person as you do a substitute teacher.​ How much information would you really divulge to a complete stranger anyway?

​Then​ ​comes​ ​the​ ​question of whether or not you should​​ ​be​ ​too​ ​forward​ ​or​ ​not?​ ​I​ ​mean​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​share​ ​too​ ​much to the point of​ ​ ​having your​ ​date​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​the​ ​nearest​ ​exit.​ Any details about your bodily fluids should be kept on ice until at least the second date. ​But​ ​you​ ​also​ ​don’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​share​ ​too​ ​little​ ​and​ ​make​ ​your date​ ​think​ ​you’re​ ​uninterested,​ ​because​ ​that​ ​would​ ​be​ ​a​ ​tragedy.​ ​You​ ​have​ ​to​ ​find​ ​the​ ​balance and​ ​figure​ ​out​ ​what​ ​works​ ​for​ ​the​ ​both​ ​of​ ​you.

But​ ​the​ ​reality​ ​is,​ ​nowadays​ ​you​ ​might​ ​not​ ​always​ ​go​ ​on​ ​a​ ​first​ ​date​ ​with​ ​someone​ ​you​ ​know.​ ​In this​ ​day​ ​and​ ​age,​ ​we​ ​have​ ​so​ ​many​ ​dating​ ​apps,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Tinder,​ ​Christian​ ​Mingle,​ ​and Black​ ​People Meet​ to name a few, the likelihood of you going out with someone you have no existing history with has skyrocketed.​ ​And now,​ ​more​ ​people​ ​are​ ​going​ ​out​ ​and​ ​trying​ ​new​ ​things​ ​to​ ​see​ ​where​ ​they​ ​lead​ ​to.

All​ ​in​ ​all,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​perfect​ ​formula​ ​on​ ​how​ ​to​ ​make​ ​your​ ​first​ ​date​ ​go​ ​well.​ ​It’s​ ​always​ ​going​ ​to be​ ​a​ ​50/50​ ​chance​ ​that​ ​it​ ​goes​ ​well​ ​or​ ​goes​ ​completely​ ​left.​ ​But​ ​as​ ​long​ ​as​ ​you’re​ ​being​ ​yourself, allowing​ ​yourself​ ​to​ ​be​ ​open,​ ​and​ ​have​ ​a​ ​optimistic​ ​attitude,​ ​things​ ​should​ ​go​ ​well.

Categories: Relationships

Tags: #Awkward, 50/50, First Date, Tinder