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10 ways to make a blind date work
Once upon a time, blind dates were quaint novelties that happened in the movies. These days, we're all at it. You meet online, swap a few emails, and before you know it, you're meeting a near-stranger under the clock at Waterloo. How should you get the best out of this nerve-wracking experience?
1. Meet in public
A blind date is not a time for cuddling up in front of a DVD at home. Keep it public, informal and flexible.
Sticking to a busy public venue, such as a pub or a coffee shop, keeps you safe. You may feel like you've made a 'connection' through your emails, but you still don't know this guy from Adam. A blind date should never be too private an affair.
Keeping things informal also allows you to size up your date without feeling trapped. Meeting for a drink or coffee allows you to leave after an hour or two if there's no chemistry. If you fancy the pants off him, you can suggest going on somewhere for dinner.
2. Find a talking point
'I love wine-tasting as a first date,' says Niki, 36. 'As well as being loads of fun, it gives you something to talk about afterwards.'
Sophie, 31, met her current boyfriend online and joined him for an art class. 'His emails mentioned his painting classes, so I went along to one for our first date. I hate those dates where you're sitting across a table trying to think of things to say.'
3. Do we shake hands or kiss?
Shaking hands is for job interviews, and hugging is too familiar. If you've swapped a few emails, a quick peck on the cheek is fine, but only if you feel comfortable doing so.
Read his body language. If he seems shy, hold off on the cheek-kissing until the end of your date. A big smile is the best greeting there is.
4. Beware of the 'babble trap'
Less is more when it comes to first-date information. Nerves make us talk far more than we realise.
But you need to offer enough positive info to keep him intrigued. This requires some pre-date prepping. Don't go in with a script, but arm yourself with a couple of interesting anecdotes. Travel stories work well, because they get you both talking about good times and future dreams.
'The hard part is squeezing your anecdotes in conversation,' says Laura, 40. 'I lead into them by asking him questions. I'll ask him about places he'd love to travel to and follow up with my own stories. That way, I'm not just babbling about myself.'
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