Meeting Offline for the First Time

It goes without saying that social media have brought unlimited possibilities of communication with the entire world to our life, but being stuck on the Internet it’s easy to forget about our good manners. As we don’t need to involve them much while writing short messages or posting smiles.

But online dating is absolutely another story. Sometimes all these modern technologies created to connect people can mislead us. Using a webcam we seem to become too close to our would-be dates. Now we know for sure what his/her room looks like, what our partner eats, what music he/she listens to, what movies watches etc. And it may give us a false sense of closeness; it seems to us we know everything about our online date. But in reality, reading messages or watching profile photos is not enough to get to know the person well. And in this situation, the best way to develop an online relationship is to meet with your partner in person.

Therefore before start to daydream about your potential soulmate, try to learn about him/her as much as you can and then fix an offline date. As everyone knows that seeing once is better than hearing twice.

So you’re sure to have found the one and only after 5-10 online conversations, but before rushing right out to meet the person you like offline, keep in mind these little things you should know before your first date.

The first and most important rule is to keep yourself safe and the best thing here is to meet in a public place (preferably during the daylight hours). To meet a perfect stranger in the dark night where there’s no one else around sounds romantic, but too risky.

Do not let your partner pick you up at home and arrange for your own transportation to the agreed-upon place. Make sure you have a full tank of gas in case you need to make a getaway.

Arrive a little earlier, so you could take stock of the environment. Take note of where the doors are and find the nearest payphone. If the person makes you feel uneasy or you just plain don’t like them, don’t feel bad about leaving. After all, your safety comes first.

Go somewhere with a lot of people around. A local café or an art gallery would be an ideal place for your first date. Bad things are less likely to happen if there’s a crowd around you.

Tell a family member or friend where you’re going and what time your meeting is. That way if anything should happen, they’ll know where to find you.

Steer the conversation away from personal details - you’re meeting this person for the first time so try not to reveal specific things about your life. Keep it general – at least for now.

If possible, avoid drinking alcohol - it could affect your judgment and lessen inhibitions. If you are drinking, keep the drink in your sight all the time and do not get too drunk.

Finally, just be alert and trust your own instincts. Try to relax and enjoy this first meeting, but don’t let your guard down too much. Safety is your first concern – for both you and your date.