Dating — the word either brings you to squeals of excitement and sends you into a Pinterest-planning frenzy, or it makes you reach for a glass of wine and Xanax… To each her own!
For some dating is a favorite pastime, right up there with shopping & brunch, while others dread the experience more than jury duty (ouch).
Although it can be daunting to put yourself out there before a virtual stranger, our do’s & don’ts are here to guide you through the dating jungle, and hopefully prevent you from repeating our dating disasters.
Don’t #1 — Don’t drink too much
This one might seem obvious, but it’s easy to lose track of your cocktail count when you’re enthralled in riveting conversation, or day dreaming to avoid the torture of listening to someone drone on about…what were you talking about again?
A few sips of a martini can ease your nerves, but a few drinks too many can leave you with not only beer-goggles, but in potential danger. Don’t expect the worst, but do remember that murderers can be hot too — think Christian Bale in Psycho (never has “I put the hot, in psychotic” been more on point). Exaggerations aside, you do not actually know this person, no matter how many “omg, me too’s” you experience in an hours time, so be cautious. I for one completely live in romantic clouds, through which I ride my flying unicorn, so I get the ease with which a dreamer’s mind may wander, but DO resist completely putting your guard down.
Our culture and the individuals who shape it, think Amy Schumer & Homer Simpson, glorify drinking and alcoholism — I enjoy drunk jokes as much as the next happy-hour lover, but showing your drunk alter-ego right off the bat will mostly likely end your “blossoming” relationship right then and there. Life is not rom-com, so don’t go following in Amy’s drunk-dating footsteps in hopes of a Trainwreck-esque romance. We all want to be with someone who is fun and adventurous, but not a full-blown hot mess (at least not after college). So reign in you alcoholic-self. Save that truth for your three-month anniversary. Surprise, honey! We’re joking…or not, whatever.
On a more serious note, anyone can be “drunk in love,” but the basis of real connections is a bit more complex than than booze-induced butterflies (or is that a burp, who’s to say). In order to truly get to know someone you need genuine conversations. The kind that give you a glimpse into the type of individual your date is in the real world. You need to be alert in order to catch red-flags, actually understand what your date does for a living, and remember the cliff notes version of their answers and stories for future reference (it shows you care, so semi-listen up). That’s a lot to do and take-in, and we all know that multi-tasking can be a bitch, so don’t make things even harder for yourself with slurring words and hazy judgment.
If you’re not one for self-control, consider ordering a mocktail (soda water & lime or ginger beer) to ensure you make a killer first impression, and have a chance to screw up the second date.
Best of luck!
Originally published at herdaily.com on October 12, 2015.
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