Don’t Judge a Date by His Cover

We have all heard the old adage – don’t judge a book by its cover – but how many of us actually heed this sage advice, especially when on a first date? Yes, first dates can be grueling, and it is not abnormal to size your man up. He is most definitely doing the same! So give him what you would want to receive in return – a fighting chance to show your date all the wonderful things you have to offer.

Studies show that more people lie on their dating profiles than don’t. In fact, about 20% of online daters actually have someone else write their dating profiles for them. And women are more guilty of this than men! So, try not to be so quick to judge when your date shows up and he’s not as tall as you would like, not as young as you had anticipated, or not as good looking as his photo may have led you to believe. He just might have something really great to offer.

This is not to say that you shouldn’t take reasonable precautions on your first date. If you are feeling uncomfortable in any way, find an excuse and make your exit. But if you’re looking for reasons to leave because you’re being way too quick to judge and you haven’t given him a bit of a chance – you might be dropping the ball on something great!

You know how people become more, or less, attractive the more you get to know them? Try and remember this on your next first date. He may not be the next Bradley Cooper, but if you give him a chance, that crooked tooth that turned you off at first just might become endearing later.

Maybe you have given it a chance, and you still aren’t feeling a connection? Don’t lose heart! There are some huge take-aways that you can gather from your date:

• You’re getting experience. Dating experience. The more you go out, the more comfortable and more fun it will get!
• You might learn something new! Maybe your date knows about an exciting local attraction coming to town, or he plays tennis and you’ve been wanting to try to connect with your inner Serena Williams. Perhaps you’re both reading buffs and he has some great recommendations to make.
• Most importantly – you may even make a new friend. Even if the connection isn’t romantic, he might become your next best buddy.

Dating is fun with the right person and the right attitude. Go into it with an open mind and you might be surprised. And hey – if the date is a complete bust, you’ll at least have a memorable story to share with other women on the First Date Stories website or podcast!

Resources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mating-game/201609/the-ugly-truth-about-online-dating

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/02/29/5-facts-about-online-dating/