Introduction

Picture yourself, in a glamorous restaurant, surrounded by scrumptious food and even better company. Yes that’s right, you’re on your first date! You did it, you got there! Oh boy... Don’t panic and just remember - act in a way that you’d expect others too.
If you have never been on a date before, you may not know exactly how to behave and the way in which you should come across, especially with a stranger that you have never met. This may be because you’re feeling nervous or you feel comfortable, either way there are ways to act that will impress your date more! Therefore, here at SpeedDater, we have prepared some of the greatest top tips on how to behave and what to do in a first date.
We hope to explain in detail all the tips on how to behave on a first date as a man and a woman with a few merging into both. This article will most definitely make you more prepared for your first dating experience if you know how to behave. It’s time to get reading and then you should be ready for your first date!

Common Tips - How to Behave during a First Date

These first five tips on how to behave on your first date are general and can be applied to both men and women who are in the dating situation. We hope that these are clear and easy to follow and that if you’re feeling nervous or unsure, this will make you feel more calm and collected before you go on your date!

Be yourself

This is probably very obvious anyway and may seem cliche, but being yourself is the only way you should be, especially if you’re wanting the other person to get to know you, for you! Sometimes when you’re nervous, there is a tendency to over act to impress your date, but they will probably be able to notice if you’re acting a little over the top. The only way you’ll really impress someone is by just being yourself, they want to see the real you, not someone you’re pretending to be just to sway them!

Make a Decision

Your date may want your opinion on where you should go, so they can see what you like or just help them with the decision. Don’t be afraid or feel like you have to hold back on choosing where to go or what to do on the date! This shows you can make up your mind and think on the spot, a good trait to possess. He or she is obviously being considerate by offering you the choice, so take it and go and do something fun and interesting!

Don’t drink too much

It’s understandable that you’ll want to have a couple of drinks on the date, but don’t let this turn into a completely drunk night out. This will not impress your date and unless you’ve both planned to drink a lot, and it is that sort of night, don’t over do the booze. Just have a relaxed evening of a couple of drinks over dinner so that you can still converse with your date!

Keep sex out of the conversation

It can be difficult to keep sex out of the conversation if you know you’re both interested in eachother, maybe you’ve been chatting a lot before and know that you’re attracted to eachother in everyway. However, even if this is the case, it is still not an advised topic to bring up on a first date. If you start talking about sex, you may come across in a way that you don’t intend to, so keep this conversation for when you know eachother a little better, Just enjoy learning about your date and discovering new things about them. Nonetheless, a little kiss at the end of the date never hurt anyone, but keep it to that for now!

Be Punctual

Being late won’t look good and will not impress your date. Leave the house with enough time and maybe arrive a little early?! Make sure that you check how to get there and plan your route so that there are no delays. Being punctual is very attractive and it doesn’t hurt to arrive on time or earlier. Who knows, maybe they arrived early too. This means, don’t also leave early too, unless you have a major event that is planned or something; plan your date on a day where you have the entire time free and can just concentrate on each other.

How to Behave on a First Date as a Guy?

Show that you actually care

The first tip on how to behave on a first date with a girl is, showing that you actually care. No one is impressed by a man who so obviously pretends to care or doesn’t show interest in the slightest. So make sure to ask your date questions and even if you don’t agree with the answers or are not feeling the date, still show that you’re listening and interested. Women don’t like rude men who don’t care, trust us. Also another way of showing that you care is by organising the date, and choosing somewhere fun and nice to go. Make her feel special and she’ll do the same back.

Stay focused

Focus on her and what she’s saying especially if you’ve asked a question and then just go on your phone… doesn’t look great! Keep your phone off or in your pocket whilst you’re on the date, you can attend to any messages later when the date is over. Being focused is so attractive and showing that you have time for that person means that you care and are interested in the date and what she is telling you. Not only should you stay focused through the first date, but also throughout the whole situation and if you have decided to see her again after the first date, still remain focused.

Keep the conversation light

This is the first date, so your aim is to enjoy eachothers company and get to know each other. So keep the conversation light and fun, obviously you can flirt a little if it feels right but don’t bring intense or overly personal topics into the first date! Firstly, talk about their interests, what they like on tv, what they like to do etc. Avoid topics like past relationships, close friends and family, politics, this can all come later! Keep it nice and simple for now.

Look the part

Do you think you know how to behave on a first date as a guy? Well you may have forgotten this very key advice - Dressing well! Depending on where you’re going on the date, dress to suit it; a restaurant - maybe wear a shirt and nice trousers. But then if it’s a coffee date in the day time, or going to see a movie, you could be a little more casual. Plan your date early so that you can plan what to wear in advance too! Wearing something that suits the date will not only create a great impression for your date but also hopefully make you feel more confident and make those first date nerves disappear.

Have a positive attitude

Before, throughout and after the date, keep your mind and attitude positive. You don’t know what’s going to happen during the date, it could go well, and it could not but either way remain certain and doubtless. Go into this date with the cup half full rather than empty because if you start assuming what is going to happen and that it might end badly, then it may end up that way because you won’t be in the right frame of mind.
Guys, first dates can be exciting and sometimes lead to more but the way you behave will determine what happens after the first date, so read these tips carefully and follow them whilst you’re on your date! We hope you enjoy your experience, and hopefully there will be another date on the line.

How to Behave on a First Date as a Lady?

Be ready

So, how should a woman behave on a first date? Before anything, make sure you know what you’re doing on the date and where you’re going. This will help you to become more confident and probably less nervous when you actually arrive because you have prepared for the occasion. This could include what you’re going to wear, and how long you need to take to get ready. Having enough time to decide what you’re doing and relax before the date will most definitely make you feel more calm and behave in a way that is more comfortable when you actually arrive at the date!

Offer to pay or split the bill

Another tip on how to behave on a first date as a lady is to offer to pay or split the bill. There is a lot of talk around this topic, and usually it's the men who pay on the first date. This doesn’t have to be the case though, women, out of politeness, you could offer to pay half, especially if it is a mildly expensive date. Or...even though this may be a bit bold for some of you ladies, but you could even offer to pay the full amount?! This won’t only make you look like you are responsible but also that you are not just someone who expects the man to pay for every single lunch date. You could probably make a deal with him, (if there will be more dates) that you pay for this one, and he pays for the next one. This is the best way to get round that awkward conversation of who is going to pay for the next meal, museum entry or any activity that needs paying for!

Show good manners

This tip is very obvious as everyone should know how to act when they’re sat in a restaurant and obviously you should be comfortable, but don’t get too relaxed that you forget about your manners. Table manners are so important and if you’re chewing with your mouth open or slurping your wine, it may not come across too well…Going for a meal for your first date can sometimes be nerve wracking and you may feel anxious but just remember that if you practice good manners, it will go better for you both!

Dress to Impress!

Come to the date dressed for the occasion, so depending on what you’ll be doing, plan your outfit in advance and make sure you feel comfortable, powerful and great when you’re wearing it! This will really make you feel 100% better when you arrive at the date. Self-confidence is key ladies and the man you’re on a date with will notice if you are comfortable and feeling confident. It is such an amazing trait to possess so grab your favourite outfit and flaunt it.

Be Honest

Being honest is also an obvious tip on how to behave on a first date with a guy. However, sometimes you may be scared to say exactly how you feel. For example; If you arrive at the date and you don’t think it will work out, be honest with the guy, rather than just pretending that everything is ok, because this won’t be good for either of you down the line. Also be honest if you like him and want to go on a second date, don’t over do it but act like you care and show him that you do like him, and TELL HIM! Don’t hide behind your true feelings, and hopefully he’ll open up too. If you are both teenagers, being honest may be a little more difficult, but still try and open up!

Final thoughts

We hope you enjoyed these tips about how to behave on a first date for both men and women. The advice was divided into three parts; common tips for both men and women, how to behave during the first date as a man, and how to act on a first date as a woman. Nonetheless, all the methods above can apply to both men and women. It’s not as if you, men are just allowed to get away with not showing good manners, or being honest. Or women, you should also stay focused throughout the date and show that you actually care. Remember, dating is fun and should be an exciting moment in your life that could lead to so much more but you still have to act in a certain way, especially for the first date. You want to impress your date don’t you?! We know that these behavioural tips may be apparent to most of you, we just want to make sure that everyone is following a certain etiquette when dating...SpeedDater want you to have a second date, so be polite, dress well