How to pick a spot for the first date
Affordability and comfort are some factors you might want to take into account when thinking of a place.
It’s completely normal to feel nervous when setting up your first date. After all, we all want to impress and leave a lasting impression, in hopes of securing a second date.
To help settle the first date jitters, Youthopia reached out to the experts from Tinder for some practical tips and considerations for when you’re deciding on a place to meet your match!
Here are some tips that Tinder has curated with intimacy coach and founder of the Academy of Relationship & Sex, Dr Angela Tan:
Comfort and safety is key
Worried about running out of discussion topics while you sit across and stare at someone for two hours straight at a fancy dinner?
To avoid such awkward situations, perhaps consider choosing a place that you and your date are comfortable with. No point in trying to impress your match and not be yourself.
If both of you would rather play with some fluff-balls at a cat cafe or chill in the park, then go for it!
That way, your mind will be at ease and you can focus on getting to know each other, says Dr Angela.
For safety reasons, you might also want to consider meeting in a populated, public place such as bars or chill cafes.
Share a fun experience together
Experiencing something new together or sharing a routine with a new match can help spark connections.
According to The Future of Dating report in 2021, Tinder uncovered that singles increasingly preferred more casual and creative first date activities to the traditional wine-and-dine.
Take it from Tinder member, 25-year-old Faye, who shares: “For first dates, I’m more likely to say yes to meeting up if it does not require much (spending).
“I’d much rather go for a simple bike ride in my neighbourhood park than a serious sit-down dinner! I find that it takes the pressure off of my match, too, so we can focus more on our connection.”
If you are looking to keep things affordable, go for free stuff like checking out art exhibitions or going for a stroll or cycle by the beach.
Another favourite first date activity of Dr Angela’s is to look for opportunities to contribute to causes and take “better together” to the next level.
For instance, you can find a fellow animal lover on Explore and head to the animal shelter for a meaningful day out.
While first dates can be anxiety-inducing, they can also be the start of something potentially amazing! If you need more tips, you can check out Tinder’s School of Swipe, a series of downloadable how-to guides tailored for young adult singles.
