Congrats! You did it! The cute guy you met the other day asked you to dinner and drinks on Friday. *happy dance* But now here comes the hard part. How many times do you text him prior to your date? It's only Tuesday! Do you pick the place or does he? What happens if he asks you where you want to go? You don't want to be one of those girls who says "I don't care!". Is this your time to stalk him on all social media? What topics are first date appropriate? More importantly what the hell do you wear?
Relax. It's a first date, not your wedding. Yes you do want to make a great first impression but at the end of the day, he is just a guy. A guy that you have no investment in. PLUS he's probably just as nervous too. So sit back, take a breath, and do this!
PREP
Leading up to the first date can be very stressful and nerve wracking. On most cases, the guy will usually pick the place or activity (that's if he suggests going on a date in the first place), this means you're in the clear. If he doesn't, I would do something simple but fun. Dinner & drinks are safe. They give you ample time to have a good conversation and get to know one another and it's also fun! Movies can be tricky. You really won't be talking that much in the actual theatre, so it may not be the best first date where you want to soak up as such info as you can. In terms of how much to text leading up to the date, I would touch base the day of to make sure plans are definite. Anything extra is up to you! If you feel that the vibe is friendly enough, go for it!
TEXTING
Girls are funny when it comes to texting. I'm 100% guilty of it. When I first meet a guy, I usually wait for him to initiate the conversation so I can gauge his style of texting. Does he use emojis? Is he sarcastic? Does he text frequently or is he a 2 hour response rate kind of guy ( my personal fav). Once you've figured out his texting style you can use this to your advantage. How? You now know what he likes and what messages he best responds to. Use and trust your intuition, it's smarter than you think.
ATTIRE
Depending on where your date is will allow you to experiment with what fashion choices you can wear. If it's dinner and drinks or something that requires eating, I normally go for jeans, a nice blouse, and heels. That way no matter how fancy or casual it is you'll be good to go. In terms of makeup and hair, I wouldn't deviate too far from your norm. If you go extravagant the first time you meet him that means you've set the bar that high and he'll expect you to look somewhat like that from there on out. If you wear your hair/makeup the way you normally do and then dress it up as time progresses, you won't have anything to worry about.
CONVERSATION
Everybody loves conversation where they talk about themselves. This will work in your advantage because you can find out a WHOLE lot about your guy. Plus you'll have time to eat while he talks! Asking light questions like what he does for a living, what he did in college or in the past, where he's from, and what he likes to do in his free time are all safe. It's probably not the best to start asking about past relationships and what he's looking for. That will definitley make him start to run.
GOODBYE/FOLLOWUP
You made it to the end of the date without having to use your emergency back-up plan where your best friend is in dire need and you have to go immediately. C'mon, I know you all have one. But now you're faced with the goodnight kiss. Does he even want to kiss you? How long does this last? Is this more of a peck or like a full on make-out sesh? If you feel that your date went well and he goes in for a good night kiss let him have it! Nowadays, people kiss to say hello and to say goodbye. Essentially it has become a norm. Having a full out make-out sesh on the first date isn't my go-to but hey, who am I to judge. Just do what makes you feel comfortable based on how your night went. In terms of following up for a second date, I am all about saying what you mean and speaking up. Girls always think that the guy has to make the move. But honestly, if you liked him and you had a good time just ask him to hangout. The worst he can say is no. NOT THE END OF THE WORLD! "onto the next one"