Got a Blind Date Coming Up? These 10 Tips Can Set You Up For Success

Many couples meet on blind dates. One of your good friends or someone on your team at work may want to set you up. It’s understandable if you’re a bit stressed because you’ll be spending time with a stranger. You might even feel pressured to get along. But, there’s no need to worry.

In this article, you’ll learn some tips that can better your odds of having a successful blind date.

What It Takes to Make a Blind Date Great

Here are 10 tips that will enable you to have a good time. Whether it leads to something greater isn’t the point if you approach the meeting in a positive, healthy manner. After all, you can bring the fun yourself and decide you’ll have a good time in advance.

1. Wear something flattering that you like and feel comfortable in. If you wear an outfit that you feel your best in, you'll ooze confidence the moment that you walk into the room.
2. Understand romantic chemistry. Feeling sexual chemistry doesn’t always reflect a deep connection. Many relationships begin with a sense of comfort and attraction and grow slowly from there.
3. Aim for neutral expectations. The idea is to let go and see if this is a person you might like to be with.
4. Be positive. Try to look for the good things about the evening instead of focusing on what could go wrong. Research shows that having an optimistic approach to life can have a significant impact on your mental well-being.
5. Date mindfully. Don’t complain, worry about rejection or already imagine a big beach wedding. Be present.
6. Check your date’s body language and facial expressions. Remind yourself not to cross your arms in a defensive stance. Make eye contact and smile at the person you’ve been set up with.
7. Don’t get too personal. It’s not the time to talk about your ex or your other previous partners. If things go well, you'll have more than enough time to delve into personal matters.
8. Use active listening skills. That means don’t text the whole time, ask open-ended questions and build on what your date just said.
9. Pay attention to the alcohol consumption. Don’t drink too much and pay attention to your date’s drinking.
10. Remember to focus on communication, not cross-examination. Rather than grill someone about their career and their families, ask questions that your date will be happy to talk about. It will put them in a good mood! Sample questions might include, “What do you like to do on weekends? What is the best part about your job? Have you seen a good movie or read a good book that you recommend? What place do you want to travel to next? What’s on your bucket list?

How to Cope With Nervousness and Discomfort Before a Blind Date

If you’re feeling anxious, there are ways to calm yourself. Breathing exercises are very effective and you can choose from a variety of breathing techniques. You can opt to meditate or enjoy some funny YouTube clips.

Blast your favorite song or go for a run in the park. Physical exercise has a number of benefits for your mental health.

She reminds everyone that if you’re being hypervigilant, that might drive your behavior and lead to a negative outcome. Another treatment modality Coffey uses to help patients is exposure. She says, “I suggest they expose themselves a little bit at a time to a new situation like a blind date by rehearsing different scenarios that may occur. Role-playing is effective prior to new situations.”

Remember Who Set You Up On This Date

Remind yourself that you trust your friend’s judgment. It’s wonderful that someone you know thinks so highly of you that they want to introduce you to someone else.

This friend obviously can’t predict for sure if you guys will hit it off, but the date will be less awkward because, unlike meeting through a dating website, at least you both know the person facilitating your meeting. You have this friend in common.

Sometimes, even though they don’t have all the requirements listed on your checklist for your ideal partner, your date might surprise you with qualities that you really appreciate.

Dating Rules to Follow

Even though someone has introduced you to someone else, it’s wise to follow the general, common-sense rules for safe dating. That means always choosing to meet in a public place. Some like to get together for a quick coffee or a drink so as not to invest too much time.

While you might not need photo or social verification systems as you do with online dating apps, you still want to date safely.

One study on dating violence found predictive factors that shaped the attitudes of the 686 university students in the study when it came to the subject of violence in dating. These factors included their mother’s educational level, their gender, self-esteem, their exposure to prior dating violence, and past history of witnessing sexual or domestic violence.

What to Do If Your Blind Date Doesn't Go Well

If the date didn’t work out, look into dating yourself first. Maybe you need to build up your sense of self-esteem and develop your self-love.  Maybe it will take a little time and you’re just not ready to meet someone yet. Or perhaps you guys just weren’t a match. Often two very nice people meet up and the attraction or spark just isn’t there.

Remember at evening’s end to look on the bright side. You might have learned something, discovered a great café in town or met a new friend. Therefore, even if a romantic relationship wasn't born, you succeeded in having a good experience and the blind date was a success.