How to Get Over First Date Nerves

Meeting someone for the first time can leave you with an excited and slightly nervous feeling. You want the person to like you, after all, so it’s natural to want to make a good impression. Sometimes, though, your nerves may get the best of you. During those times you may come off like over-talkative, pushy, distracted, or even downright silly! (None of these things, it should be said, makes a good impression on a date.)

If your nervousness goes beyond the usual, then you owe it yourself to get a handle on things. Here are a few tips to help.

It’s Just a Date, Not a Relationship

Sometimes daters need to put the whole dating experience into perspective. While every date has a potential to lead into something great, you’ll probably go through many more that will not. So embrace the gift that it’s just a first date, a first meeting, and not a test on whether this person will want to marry you or not.

You May Not Like Them

Don’t get so caught up in wondering if the date will like you. Instead, turn it around. First dates are so both people can see if they have some common areas of interest. There’s always the possibility that you may not like them. By looking at it this way, you will naturally feel more at ease.

Go on More Dates

Hey, practice makes perfect. The more dates you go on, the more likely that meeting someone new will become no big deal.

Image: Zuma Press