If you are someone that has been in the dating game for some time now, something that you will know is that dating can be incredibly awkward. If you are an extrovert, meeting and speaking with a stranger may not be something that is too difficult for you. However, if you are someone that considers yourself to be quite shy, then the idea of meeting someone new for the first time maybe something that you hate the idea of.
If you have been looking for advice on how to cope with your first date, it is likely that a lot of people have told you that it is very important to break the ice at the start of any date. Breaking the ice is the best way to avoid any awkwardness and start a flowing conversation, but not everyone knows how to do it.
Dates can make you incredibly nervous and you may notice that you are doing and saying things that you may not usually say. Dates can be a lot of pressure on you and you may be desperate to break that initial ice, but you still want to be careful about what you are saying as you don’t want to say something awkward or even offensive. Here is how not to break the ice on your next dinner date.
Don’t Say Anything Offensive
Something that you may have heard is that right now we are living in pretty politically correct times. If you look back at the shows and the comedy that used to be expressed on TV and in the media, a lot of the jokes and the topics that were once explored and shown would not be acceptable in this day and age.
If you are feeling nervous, naturally you may reach for a joke to try and make your date laugh and feel more comfortable. A lot of the jokes that you may laugh at could be incredibly offensive and just because they make you laugh does not mean that you should necessarily tell them.
There are a lot of jokes out there that you can choose from that are not offensive, your date would probably rather hear some cringeworthy bad jokes rather than something that is offensive. If you are not sure what is considered to be offensive, I would set a basic rule that if your joke is told at the expense of another person or minority, you should probably avoid telling it to your date.
If you want to make your date laugh, I would recommend going for the classic cheesy jokes or dad jokes, as these are always guaranteed to make someone laugh and get everyone in a good mood.
Don’t Ask Personal Questions
Another great way to break the ice is by asking the person you are on a date with plenty of questions. The more you know about them, the more you can discuss and the more conversations you can have.
Though you may want to know about your date, something that you should avoid is asking very personal questions. You have to remember that this is your first date and you don’t really know each other yet. This means that if you want to get to know them, you should keep the questions light and try not to get too personal.
Ask them about all of their favorite shows and movies, or even just ask them what they like to do. Don’t ask them about their family life or similar topics, as this can be a quite personal question and it may leave your date feeling very uncomfortable and out of their depth.
Don’t Mention Politics or Religion
Something that you likely know is that there are some discussions that you should avoid when you are on a date. First of all, politics is something that you should avoid entirely. Right now, politics is as rife as ever and everyone seems to have an opinion. Even if you share the same political beliefs as your date, talking about the injustice in the world can be a real downer on the date.
Talking about religion and the differences can also put a damp mood on the date and so you should avoid talking about it as much as you can.