12 Ways To Not Screw The First Date With Your Crush

After several efforts you’ve scored a date but you don’t know how to make a lasting impression on the first date. Don’t Worry! Just keep these 12 things in mind before going on a date with your crush and you’ll be good.

1) Check You Hair And Clothes Before Leaving The House

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Just before you walk over, brush off your clothes, check your teeth, and smooth your hair discreetly. Besides making sure there’s nothing out of place in your appearance, taking this extra moment can help you gather yourself and feel more confident before you approach them.

2) Smile, Make Eye-Contact And Make Them Feel Comfortable

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It’s normal to be nervous while talking to your crush, but cover it up by smiling, laughing, and keeping your body relaxed. Besides making yourself feel better, your friendliness will help your crush relax too, and give them a better impression of you.

• If your hands are fidgeting or shaking, put them in your pockets or grab a book or bag to hold.
  
• Remember to make eye contact while you talk. Don’t stare at your crush, but make sure to hold eye contact for at least a few seconds at a time to show that you’re interested in what they’re saying.
  

3) Listening Is The Key, Don’t Listen To Respond Listen To Understand

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If your crush is responding, asking you questions, and smiling, keep talking—you’re having a great conversation! If they’re giving one word answers, looking away, and crossing their arms or leaning away, they’re probably not interested.

If you can tell they’re not into the conversation, tell them you have to go but that it was great to talk to them. Don’t be mean or impolite—they might just be having a bad day, and you may still be able to talk to them another time.

4) If It All Goes Well, Make Plans For The Next Time, Then And There

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If the conversation is going well and it feels right, you can try making plans to see your crush again. This will be most natural if you’ve been talking to your crush about a specific event or project.

It’s OK if making plans feels too sudden. Now that you’ve had a great conversation, you’ll be able to talk to them again and start building a friendship, and maybe more.

5) Working On Your Self-Esteem Will Give You A Confidence Boost

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It can be really difficult to talk to your crush when you’re shy, especially if your shyness stems from low self-esteem. Before you approach them, work on building up your own courage and recognizing the things that are awesome about you.

Write a list of things that are great about you and big accomplishments you’ve had.

Examine the things you don’t like about yourself and ask yourself why. Forgive yourself for being imperfect and dedicate yourself to loving the person that you are!

6) Dig Common Or Interesting Things To Talk About

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If you’re scared to run out of things to talk about with your crush, make a list in advance. Think about things you have in common and things you know about them that are easy to bring up in a casual, natural way.

7) Body Language Is Everything

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Keeping your body calm and relaxed even when you’re nervous is a great way to show confidence and build up your courage. Make eye contact with your crush, speak clearly, and calm your fidgeting by holding something in your hands or putting them in your pockets.

• This can feel really hard when you’re talking to your crush, so try practicing beforehand! Make eye contact with everyone you talk to (even parents or teachers), speak clearly and confidently, and notice when you fidget with your hands.
  
• Making strong body language an instinct will help you do it without even thinking, even when you’re feeling nervous.
  

8) Have Strong Opinions And Be Yourself

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Most people avoid saying anything controversial — especially when meeting someone for the first time — because they want to play it safe to ensure everyone likes them. But if you really want to be memorable, you may want to make a statement ... without insulting anyone or saying something offensive, of course.

"People remember extremes, not mediocrity.”

You should try speaking up and stating your opinion firmly and clearly, even if it makes some people slightly uncomfortable or mad. This will make you more interesting — and thus more memorable.

9) Don’t Be The Last Minute Guy, Prepare For Everything Beforehand

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Just make sure that everything is in place and you know essential information about her. Like certain preferences of food or places, allergies and what grinds her gears, etc.

Call her up and confirm the date before making any reservations. Reschedule if possible if something comes up, don’t get discouraged.

10) Keep Condoms Handy In Case You Might Get Lucky, But Don’t Talk About It Unless There Is A Need Of It

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While bringing a condom along on a first date might strike some as arrogant, in reality, it's just called being prepared. Since you're a mere mortal, you don't know where things are going to end up by the evening's end and, in all likelihood, if she's willing, you're going to be willing, too. So don't put your possibly drunker, definitely hornier future self in a position to make a potentially life-altering decision in the heat of the moment by being too modest to bring a condom.

11) Don’t Rely On Plastic Cash, Carry More Than Enough Cash In Your Wallet

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You don't want to be telling your buddies about how the maitre-d had to hold your date hostage while you sprinted to the nearest ATM, Usain Bolt-style. Lots of things can happen when it comes to those cards we take for granted -- some places don't take plastic; sometimes places have tech snafus and lose service, and sometimes your card will get cancelled without you knowing about it because a scammer in Arkansas used it to buy flat-screen TVs. Even if you choose to roll with credit or debit in the end -- or the two of you end up splitting the bill -- you buy yourself a lot of peace of mind leaving the house with a full wallet.

12) Don’t Under Or Overdress, Just Keep It Casual But First Date Worthy

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The casual date refers to a relaxed date activity, not a sloppy outfit. The casual date often takes place in the great outdoors and might include a picnic at the park, or a walk on the beach. While relaxed, this is not the time to show her what your day-off attire looks like; instead, look for dressier versions of comfy weekend clothing, such as indigo washed jeans, and dress them up.

Darker jeans give a nice, pulled-together look that is both casual yet date-appropriate, and can be worn with a short-sleeved shirt (preferably tucked in) for a look that is not too formal, but also shows you know what you are doing. Switch sneakers for leather kicks to take this look from drinks with the guys to the appearance of a casual dating champ.