If they don’t get a text from you when they’re supposed to, they’ll know something’s up and can get in touch. Indeed, many people prefer to start with a casual first meeting, designed to test your mutual spark. If that’s the case, it’s perfectly fine to meet for a quick coffee (the preferred first date for 83% of our members5). When you head out to meet a date IRL for the first time, tell one of your buddies where you’re going and who you’ll be meeting. Making sure someone knows where you are is a basic necessity. To be even safer, Engle recommends dropping a pin on the smartphone map app of choice to show where you’ll be meeting and sending it to a friend, or using an app to share your location in real time.
- They’re there to help you have a safe, happy (and hopefully romantic) time with someone wonderful.
- Too often, people ignore their instincts to avoid “seeming rude.” But your comfort and peace of mind matter more than politeness.
- She recommends doing a rudimentary online search or social media scan to verify simple things, like that their name is what they said it was or that their pictures are current.
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Avoiding rides offered by your date during the initial encounter not only maintains your autonomy but also serves as a proactive measure to safeguard personal safety. This approach allows you to navigate the date on your terms, ensuring a comfortable and secure experience. Before stepping out for your date, take a moment to reach out to a trusted friend or family member.
If at any point you suspect you may have been drugged, don’t hesitate to leave and get help right away. The weather service advised the public to prepare for a life-threatening cold. Chances of frostbite and hypothermia will rise sharply by the weekend. First dates are generally a bundle of excitement, nerves, jitters, and sparks. The first date is all about getting to know each other, learn more here so you’re sure to tell him all sorts of details about yourself and your life. Don’t tell this man what company you work for, what school you go to, and don’t mention any of your friends names to him.
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We asked experts for first date tips that will keep you safe and able to focus on having a good time. Let them know when and where, and that you’ll contact them within a certain amount of time. If a date goes really well, you may find that at the end of the night you and this man are hugging and kissing, which is a good sign! However, be sure that all of this affection and PDA takes place outside of his car and your car. This way you aren’t confined or locked in the car in the event that something goes wrong. Instead of going directly home after a date, consider making a pit stop somewhere.
Private dinners or “Netflix at my place” might sound romantic, but for a first date, it’s best to meet in public. Choose a well-lit café, restaurant, or park where people are around. Personal details like your address, office, or regular routines can make you vulnerable if the person you’re meeting isn’t genuine. Some use this information to manipulate or track others after the date.
First Date Safety Tips For Everyone
If you don’t love the idea of meeting someone you don’t know solo, pitch a group outing and suggest your date bring a friend, too. “I tell people to get creative, and make it a friend date,” says relationship expert Natalia Genevieve. “There are less expectations and it takes a thumb of pressure off.” If you decided you liked your date, you can move on to more intimate meetups from there. Plus, having your own transportation to and from the date ensures that you can leave if you get uncomfortable or need to go for any reason. If you take public transportation, make sure to have enough money on you to get home on your own. Though it can be rude to text during a date, be sure to text either a friend or family member once you arrive for the date, sometime during the date, and after the date.
Trust Your Instinct At the end of the day, you have a gut instinct that’s usually pretty accurate. In fact, research shows that women are more skilled than men at reading nonverbal gestures and emotions, which means your date doesn’t even have to say anything for you to sense what his motives are. If someone is making you uncomfortable for reasons you just can’t explain, trust your gut and leave. “These wind chills will pose a life-threatening risk of hypothermia and frostbite to exposed skin,” the weather service said. “Additionally, any power outages caused by a winter storm this weekend could prolong and compound this risk.”