When you've been talking to someone online for a while, you might both decide to meet in person. Online dating can be very helpful, but if you don't get along well in person, you won't be able to move on to something more serious and long-term. People worry about making the switch from online dating to dating in real life. It can be very risky. Online daters also have to worry that the person they are talking to might not be telling the truth about them. The best thing you can do is to just try it out. In the dating world, you will fail a lot, but if you try hard, you can find a good and real relationship. The first date with a friend you met online can be nerve-wracking, so you need to make sure the other person is excited to meet you.
First, it's a good idea to plan a first date in a public place. Online, it's easy to lie, and you don't want to be taken advantage of by a predator. Instead of getting into a car with someone you don't know, it's safer to suggest meeting at the place of the date. Plan a date during the day, and it's usually best to have very little alcohol. If you are still worried about safety, you could suggest a group date where you each bring a few different friends.
There are a number of good first date ideas that you can use. You should always go to the movies or eat at a good restaurant. But it's hard to get to know someone when you're eating or watching a movie. You can suggest a date based on the things you both like that first drew you to each other. If you both like sports, for example, you can go to a baseball game or play golf together. If you like to try new things outside, you could go on a first date to a place where you can climb rocks. You can have quieter dates at a coffee shop or a concert of soft music.
When going on a date, the most important thing to remember is to make sure that both people are comfortable. If it's clear that you're both having a bad time, it's not rude to suggest leaving early. But if you're both having a good time, you might want to do something else together after the first date is over. Don't plan too much for the first date, because not everyone will feel a connection with you. Both success and failure are things you need to be ready for.
