Alexis Thompson reveals how she prepares for a first date

by Alexis Thompson
Girl Friday
Friday, 2nd December 2011

After four long months of being single, dateless and quite frankly, boring, I have finally met someone. Hurrah! The lucky guy, who for the purpose of this article I’ll refer to as First Date Guy, has suggested something low-key, which involves a drink somewhere local. Now, I may have been out of the loop for a while, but when preparing for a first date I always rely on my dating bible ‘The Rules’, to tell me exactly what I should be doing three days, two days and one day before the event. And following these rules always ensures that I am feeling confident, relaxed and glowing on the day of my date.

Three days before..

I keep busy and try not to focus too much on the fact that I will be going on a date. I hit the gym, or arrange to see friends. The more I keep my mind occupied the less likely I am to get anxious, or build unrealistic expectations in my head as to how well my date will go. I find that it’s always best to keep open-minded and positive about the whole experience.

Two days before..

Now is the time to confirm the arrangements. Ideally I like to wait for the guy to text/call me, but some times a guy may need prompting. If you have to do this then make sure it’s a casual text rather than a phone call. Personally I prefer the guy to make the suggestions on where we should go, I also like it when they’re willing to travel- remember the guy should be doing the chasing not you. Once the arrangements have been made, I don’t contact him again until the day of the date.

One day before..

Ok, so by this stage I may be feeling slightly nervous about the prospect of going on a first date, so in order to calm my nerves I find time in my day to relax and pamper myself. I don’t like to spend too much of my hard-earned cash on new clothes and beauty treatments for someone I may never see again, but I might splash out on getting my hair or nails done. These little touches also help to boost confidence, which is something you need to have to ensure you’re calm and collected on the day of your date. I also pick out my outfit the evening before, so I’m not dashing around at the last minute panicking about what to wear. On the day of the date I make sure that I look my best and feel my best- something that’s not always easy to do, but as long as I adopt a relaxed and positive attitude to it all, I’m bound to have a good evening, even if he doesn’t end up being Mr Right.

topic tags: attraction, chat up, first date, flirting, relationships

share your thoughts...

related articles

about the author

Alexis is a 27-year-old and very often, cash-strapped journo, searching for her ideal man in London. After being single for almost a year, since splitting with her first long term love, she's decided to ditch the night clubs and bars, and start finding more mature and sophisticated ways of meeting her Mr Right. Join her every Friday as she describes the trials and tribulations of discovering love in a city that has little time for romance, as well as offering advice to those in search of the same thing or who may not have realised they've already found it.

Alexis writes a weekly blog for Dating Trail. If you'd like to be be first to find out about her next installment then please follow us on Twitter or 'Like' our Facebook page for updates.

see also...

• Latest dating news and advice
• Find dating events near you...
• Compare the best online dating sites