Meeting Your Online Date for the First Time Offline

I began online dating about a year and a half ago, when I was fed up with my “other options”. Coworkers, being set up by friends and meeting people at college definitely was not working. I became so frustrated with all the losers. I often wondered, “Will I ever meet Mr. Right?”

Online dating really opened new doors for me. I have been able to meet so many great guys right in my hometown!

But, even I have to admit talking over the internet and meeting for the first time are two totally different things!

The initial meeting is filled with emotions. I was scared, excited and anxious. I really liked MikeL803 but would he be what I expected? Where do we meet? What if the date is terrible? But most importantly, I wondered about safety. It seems like every time you turn on the television you see a story about an internet date turned bad.

It took us about a week to finalize our plans. I had spent a lot of time talking to others and researching on the internet to find out the best ways to set up a date that would be comfortable for the both of us.

First, we planned to meet at the casino. Meeting in public is the biggest part of offline safety.

Although MikeL803 was a gentleman and offered to pick me up for our casino trip, I opted to drive myself – just incase! Driving your own vehicle is a wonderful option, not only for safety reasons, but it also allows you to leave at any time – like if your date is a total flop!

The day before our date I told my roommate, Sarah about our plans. I wanted her to know exactly where we were going to be and how long we would be there for. My date with Mike was scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm and last until about 10:00 pm. I promised to call Sarah if plans had changed.

One of my favorite “dating tricks” is to get a call from Sarah about one hour into my date. The intention of the call is just to make sure that everything is going good, but if it’s not, her call becomes my excuse to leave! Having an “emergency” is much nicer than telling your date they are not your type, boring or unattractive.

The following day you can explain through an email that although you had a great time, you want to explore other options.

Another huge safety tip that I always follow is to limit my alcohol consumption. I am the kind of person that may tend to have a few drinks when I am nervous, so I set a rule of “one and done” or I stick to soda. Take into consideration that even though alcohol “calms the nerves” it also impairs judgment.

And whether you decide to have a daiquiri or a 7up, always guard your beverage as well as your personal belongings. Leaving your drink on the table could allow it to be tampered with. Leaving personal belongings out for thieves is no good either.

My casino trip with MikeL went wonderful. We had a great time and I was home on time, as planned. We ended our date with a simple hug and went about our ways.

Just remember, there’s no need to rush into things. If your first date clicks, you’ll always have time for a second! So take your time.

However, if your date isn’t going as you expected, don’t hesitate to cut things off quickly. Life is short and there’s “other fish in the sea”.