Make the Best Impression on a Second Date
So you’ve met someone you’re interested in seeing again because they set butterflies loose in your stomach. Now comes the dreaded part, how to make the best second impression. Just like looking over a final exam for the second time, your feelings from meeting a person after the initial excitement can be shattered by second and even triple guessing yourself. We’ve prepared 5 tips so you can keep cool for the second encounter.
1. Consistency is Key
Worse than making the same mistake twice, is looking like a hot mess when you make a thousand different mistakes because you are afraid to act like you’re flawed and yet authentic self. Everyone has their problems, and your companion already agreed to seeing you after your first impression so have confidence in that, otherwise you might end up alienating them. Don’t let yourself become the Jekyll and Hyde dating act.
2. Be Careful About Making Plans
We know, after an amazing first date, you are already dancing with visions of next weekend, and possibly even beyond. In all likelihood, the other person feels the same excitement but if the two of you get to talking about it, once you part, in retrospect you’re going to feel awkwardness over having wasted time enjoying who you are because you indulged too much in thinking about who you could be. This could kill a third shot at it because you’ll be left wondering, did the person enjoy spending time with me, or the idealized future image of me.
3. Remember to Ask Questions
You may have a map in your mind of the person you’re going on a date with again, but do not begin to connect the dots! There’s that common saying ‘assuming makes an ass out of you and me’ and that’s most likely to happen in a romantic context. You might feel overcome by excitement from your prior connection, and the second date is the perfect time to explore that and also gently let the other person know more about you without assuming that both of you fully accept each other.
4. But… Do Not Interrogate
You might head home and begin to think it’s all too good to be true. You’re most likely right, but that doesn’t mean you should begin to aggressively look for those dreaded red flags. Let a person naturally reveal themselves to you, otherwise they’ll think that you’ll be the one sending the wrong message. That all people, including your date have baggage is all you need to consider for your second meeting.
5. All You Can Do Is Hope For The Best
Do not get your hopes up too high. Even if the second date goes well, you can never really know a person’s full situation enough to be able to gage if they will be up for a third. That’s why it’s important to enjoy yourself as much as possible in the moment, and have the confidence to walk away should things not turn out as well as you wished.
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments.
Don’t miss a beat! Follow our dating adventures on Facebook and Twitter.
