Unusual First Dates Step Out Of The Box

Unusual First Dates - Step Out Of The Box

Okay, so you’ve been emailing each other for awhile, maybe you’re text messaging and perhaps you’ve talked on the phone. You feel a certain chemistry and you want to move on to the next step, the FIRST DATE. You can’t decide where to go or what to do. The possibilities for that first date are endless. I’d like to make a suggestion; skip the whole dinner and a movie thing. Try something different. Step out of your comfort zone; out of the box. Remember when you were little and it was okay to color outside of the lines? Try it. It can open up a whole new world. Forget about the standard dinner and movie. Dinner’s nice, but why spend two hours in a theater watching someone else when you can be doing something fun that will help you get to know one another?

Put on your thinking cap and get creative. If you’re not the creative type, ask for help from your family and friends. Not only will something different be fun, but you’ll stand out in the crowd. Your date will remember the fact that you gave some thought to where you were going and what you were going to do. Your first date can easily be a success. There will be plenty of time later on, if you continue to see each other, for dinner and a movie.

Personally, I like bowling. You might be laughing right now, or thinking "no way", but I can tell you that it can be a lot of laughs. Bowling is a gas, and it's a great idea for a first date! It’s also nice that you are surrounded by other people, making your date feel safe. In addition, the fun and laughter around you can be contagious. If neither of you have ever bowled, it can be a learning experience for both of you, and no one will be at an unfair advantage. If one of you has bowled before, it can be an opportunity to be a teacher. On the other hand, if both of you have bowled, you can just relax and enjoy yourself. Throw a little alcohol into the mix (for it is one sport that actually invites you to imbibe) and just have fun. You might each bring a friend, which will also alleviate some of that "first date" stress.

If you’re not into bowling, a picnic can be nice. Now, I understand that picnics usually have a romantic stigma attached to them, but you can change that. Rather than finding a nice little secluded spot in the middle of nowhere, plop yourself down in the middle of a populated park somewhere. Entertain yourselves by people watching. You can make an impression, if you put some thought into it. Think about the menu and the accoutrements. If you’re not so swift in the kitchen, ask someone who is. Try a local deli or gourmet store. Many of them will be only too happy to put the whole thing together for you. Pick a menu and accessories that will make a statement. Forget the styrofoam cups and potato chips. Up the ante a little bit. A bottle of wine or champagne is a nice touch, but don’t forget the corkscrew and the glasses. There’s nothing worse than finding yourself unprepared when you’re trying to make a good first impression. Make a list and check it twice. Remember something to sit on, and make sure it’s nice, clean and without holes or stains. Remember napkins; cloth is nice. Be sure to bring such things as salt and pepper, and ice cold bottled water is always good. Run through your plans with a fine toothed comb and get rid of any snags.

Where you are and the time of year can help dictate where you go and what you do. If the weather is nice you could take a nice long walk or hike, and stop somewhere along the way for something cold to drink. You could go to the beach, walk along the boardwalk and stop for lunch overlooking the ocean. Roller blading or bicycling is always an option, as is a trip to a local winery or a farmer’s market. If it is winter or the weather is chilly, your options might be a bit different. Instead of roller blading, you could try ice skating. If you’ve never skated and you go to a public skating rink, you can find comfort in the fact that you won’t be the only ones falling down. You will be surrounded by others doing the same. If there’s snow around, you could go somewhere nice for lunch where there is a wonderful view. The possibilities, like I said, are endless.

If you plan ahead of time, you can ask others for dating ideas. Your Aunt Mary of Uncle Bob might know just the spot. You can go to your local Chamber of Commerce or Visitors Center for information. Sometimes we have events in our own town that we know nothing about. When the weather is warm, many towns and cities have outdoor concerts or festivals of some kind. There might be someplace historical you’ve never been. Museums and art galleries are good too.

So, if you want to have a successful first date, give it some thought. Don’t be afraid of the unknown. Instead, embrace it. Enlist the help of family, friends and co-workers. Peruse your local Sunday paper or Weekly. Dare to be different. If the date ends up being a bust, at least you’ve tried something new or out of the ordinary. Good luck and happy dating!

BONUS : Using An Online Dating Service

With research showing that around 30% of us are looking online for friendship and/or romance, then using an Online Dating Service no longer has the stigma attached to it that it used to have say six or seven years ago.

Using online dating and friendship sites are now an accepted way of meeting people, whether you are purely looking to increase your social circle and find people with similar tastes and interests to you or whether you are looking for romance – or even more!

Meeting people online is a popular and safe way to meet like-minded people – forget smoky nightclubs and the bubble bursting when the person who looks like the type you want to get to know better turns out to have completely different ideals and interests to you.

Once you’ve met a few people who sound nice, you are in control of how the situation goes, so you can go at your own pace, chatting online or sending an email until you decide it is time to speak on the ‘phone or meet up – if at all.

The beauty of making friends online is that you can do it any time of day or night. It is great if you are a single parent and unable to go out; if you work unsociable hours; or if the idea of going out to clubs and bars makes you think “meat market”.

Dating or meeting people on the Web means you can get to know someone really well before you meet up so that you can se that your tastes, intellect and ideals are the same.

So, how can you make the most out of using a online dating service (and remember, just because it has the word ‘dating’ in it, doesn’t mean that you cannot meet people for friendship on there)?

First of all, to find a site, do a search using a search engine and type in words and phrases such as “online friendship”, “online dating”, meet people online etc”. You can then visit a few sites to see how they operate and to see which ones you feel comfortable with.

Once you’ve found one - or even two or three! – websites you like the look of, you can register your details (most will allow you to register free) and then start meeting and chatting to people online.

Many also have offline activities, such as met ups in pubs, and organised events, which is a great way to go out without any pressure to meet anyone. It can also help you to put a face to a name if you have been chatting online for a while to someone!

If you do decide to meet someone on a one-to-one basis, then of course you should employ all the common sense safety precautions you’d do normally such as meeting in a busy place and telling people where you are going etc. Sadly, meeting people online does not mean you’ll never meet an unscrupulous person again.

The positive new is that online dating and friendship sites have spawned a great many marriages, babies and strong friendships, so if there is a space in your life, going online could be the answer.