It’s great that you have been enjoying your online dating experience! However, now that you are ready to make the move to meeting in person, what do you do?  How will the experience go?  There are some common (and smart) guidelines you should follow to ensure that your first face to face is everything you hoped it would be.  Read on for a few smart ideas to help you nab that second date:

• It’s not about the sex.  While you two may have talked about sex and perhaps indulged in sexual chatter online, it’s a whole new ball game face to face.  You are essentially starting over so don’t expect to jump right into talking dirty like you might have been online.  Be respectful; pay attention to your date and keep roving eyes to a minimum.
• First face to face dates are about new beginnings, not old dormant feelings.  Do not bring up past boyfriends or girlfriends.  No one wants to feel as if they are being compared to someone else.  Past liaisons should stay in the past as they can dampen the enthusiasm of a first date.  Leave the relationship sharing for a later time when you know that you are both truly clicking.
• If you had a good time, let your date know!  Sometimes, the nervousness over meeting for the first time can shadow a person’s perceptions of how a date went so verbal confirmation of a good time can be a great thing.
• Take precautions when meeting for the first time.  This applies to men just as much to women.  While you may think you “know” someone after a prolonged online dating experience, you truly don’t.  Meet in a public place and let your friends know where you are.  In fact, make plans to call a friend at a certain time to ensure your safety.  And of course, arrive and leave separately to maintain that address anonymity until both of you feel comfortable with sharing where you live or work.
• Communication is very important.  If you do not feel comfortable with something, be upfront about it.  Honesty is important and if both parties are on the same page, there is nothing to be misconstrued.

Face to face encounters, especially after online dating, can be quite tricky. However, with some proper preparation, you can ensure that your time will be spent in a fun, comfortable fashion. All it takes is a little common sense and forthrightness from both parties.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 16th, 2009 at 5:33 pm and is filed under Online Dating Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.