Dating doesn’t have to be scary. There are plenty of people who go on blind dates and have a perfectly enjoyable time. I think that as long as you are safe about what you are doing, going on a date with a stranger should be fun. Here are my 8 safety tips to follow when picking a blind date. I hope you will find them useful!
8 Let Friends Know Where You Are Going
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Knowing exactly where you are going on the date is helpful, so that you can tell friends where you will be. It might even be a good idea to let family members know as well. Letting a bunch of people know about your evening plans will give you a back up, in case something goes wrong. Let them know what time you are supposed to be home. You might even want to arrange a specific time to give a friend a call. If you don’t call within a certain time, then someone should assume something went wrong. This is a great safety net. It is also one instance when ‘the more, the merrier’ actually works!
7 Give out the Name of Your Blind Date to Someone Reliable
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When a friend is the one who sets you up, then this isn’t necessary, unless you want to pass your date’s name around to multiple people. I always feel better if my friends know the name of the person I’m going out on a blind date with. It actually makes me feel a bit safer. I like knowing that my friend or friends know where I will be and who I will be with. I guess being a woman makes me a bit more leery of strangers, especially when it involves going somewhere with a person I will be meeting for the first time.
6 Meet in a Well-lit Place
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Not only should the place be well-lit, but also it’s better if there are a lot of people too. You could meet at a grocery store, busy restaurant, bowling alley, or night club. Any of these places are filled with people and usually have lots of lighting. Meeting in a quiet park or having your blind date pick you up at your own home isn’t a good idea for a first date. This is someone whom you’ve never met before and you might not want this person knowing where you live.
5 Don’t Go to His/her House Afterwards
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Even if you feel completely comfortable with your blind date, it might be best to save a visit to his/her house until a later date. Things can turn awkward quickly and when you least expect it. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but I always have a fear of my date being nice, quiet, and sweet in public, then turning into a complete loony when we’re alone.
4 Have an Alternate Ride in Case Things Don’t Go Well
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If you do meet in a general place and then ride in the same car, be sure to have a back up plan. Dinner might not go well for some reason and then you are stuck with this person driving you around. Even if it’s the other way around, you might not want to be in the same car with your blind date. Living in the city gives you the option of public transportation. However, people who live in more rural areas might want to consult a friend and have an alternate ride to rely on.
3 Make Sure Your Phone is Charged
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In my opinion, there’s nothing scarier than having a dead cell phone when you need it most. Not only do I make sure to have my phone completely charged before leaving the house, but I also take along a small instant cell phone charger. This little device fits in my pocket and runs on batteries. It will charge a cell phone in less than a minute. I always make sure to have change available for a pay phone, as well as important numbers written down. My cell phone is also my address/phone book, so when it dies, I lose access to all my friends’ information.
2 Talk with the Person before the Date
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I like to have at least one phone call with the person I’m going on a blind date with. Sometimes you can tell a lot about a person through a short phone call. Things like; how easy going this person is, if he/she is easy to talk to, find out some interests, and maybe if you even have anything in common. You can often tell if the date is going to be a good one or not. I try not to base the feelings I get over the phone with how I think the entire date will be. I know I am more relaxed in person than I am over the phone. I actually don’t like talking on the phone a lot, so I might come across as a completely different person.
1 Go with Your Gut Feeling
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If you meet this person and instantly feel creeped out, it might be wise to let someone know. You can always excuse yourself for a moment and make a phone call from the bathroom. I’ve had friends meet me at the restaurant or movie theater, just because I’ve had an odd feeling about someone. It’s possible to make it seem completely coincidental that your friend just happened to show up. This will keep you from looking like a scaredy cat and it will also keep your date’s feelings from being hurt.
These are just my personal 8 safety tips to follow when picking a blind date. There might be some different ones that guys tend to use. Have you ever been on a blind date? How did it go? Feel free to share any additional tips you think people should know.
Top Photo Credit: c.zwerg