Tips for FINALLY Meeting Your Quarantine Bae IRL
To all my single ladies out there, this one’s for you. As the months have gone by during quarantine, the opportunity to meet people in real life has become limited…like really, really limited. That being said, there are countless online dating apps out there and odds are, even if you weren’t into online dating before, you’ve at least given it a try at this point in quarantine.
Photo: Apple Store
Photo: Apple Store
So, after months of swiping right and chatting with potential romantic prospects behind the safety of a phone screen, for many, it’s finally nearing the time to meet up with your “quarantine bae” in-person. This is true especially as restaurants and shops have begun to open up and life is becoming more social again. And while that’s definitely a reason for excitement, there’s a certain anxiety associated with it all. Will your romantic prospect be what you expected? Will it be awkward? Will there be a spark in-person? There’s a lot of uncertainty. But don’t worry, we have your back! Here are some tips to prepare all of you quarantine online-daters to make the jump into an in-person first-date:
Choose an interactive activity/date spot to avoid lulls in conversation and to bond you and your date through a shared experience.
Awkward silence can be so, well…AWKWARD. Realistically though, awkward silence is a first date rite of passage and nothing to stress too much over. A great way to limit these uncomfortable pauses in conversation though is to choose an interactive date spot. By that I mean any setting where if the date gets awkward or uncomfortable, you can easily shift the attention onto something other than yourself.
These types of spots are more difficult to find right now because of the restrictions with COVID-19, but there are definitely still some great places to go with your date. Here are a few examples:
Photo: Pinterest
Drive-in movie
Cute, vintage vibes and perfect for social distancing! Click here for some awesome drive-in movie spots all over the country.
Outdoor dinner at a restaurant with live music
Plenty of time for you and your date to chat, but with a fun entertainment element.
Hiking
Great exercise, fun, and an awesome way to show off your outdoorsy side!
Beer/wine tasting
A perfect ice breaker to get both the drinks and the conversation flowing.
Keep an open mind.
Photo: Pinterest
When you meet your date in-person, he/she may have a different energy or attitude than you expected. Even more likely, your date may be shorter than he/she looked online (lol). If this happens, don’t freak out right away! Remember, you two made it this far into quarantine solely through a virtual connection—you must have things in common and already have a bond on some level that may be worth exploring.
Important to keep in mind, with so much build-up before meeting someone, it’s natural to have an idea in your head of what this person will be like and you may be disappointed if it doesn’t match up exactly with reality. Don’t let that throw you off too much though, this person could be exactly the one you’re looking for, even if they don’t meet your preconceived ideas of him/her.
Come prepared with conversation starters.
Photo: Pinterest
This one might sound a little weird, but this simple task makes me much more confident on any first date. Some basic conversation starters you can use are, “Are you hoping to travel anywhere once COVID ends?” and “What kinds of things do you do in your free time?” or “What types of music do you listen to?” Definitely feel free to also ask more specific questions based on your personality and what you’re looking for in a partner.
The key with conversation starters is to not make it forced or to make it feel like 20 Questions for your date. Don’t plan out what you’re going to say and instead, have these open-ended conversation starters in the back of your mind in case there’s an awkward pause in conversation or you feel like you’ve run out of things to talk about.
Pro-tip: Having conversation starters ready-to-go can also help to avoid any major nerves before the first date because you know you’ll have some good things to talk/ask your date about!
Be confident in who you are.
This last tip is important. I mean, come on, you’re a catch! But being confident on a first date is easier said than done. Some advice: go into the first date knowing that if something is really going to work out romantically between you and your date, he/she has to like you for you. There’s such a power in presenting your authentic self to others. Show off your personality and if your date doesn’t respond well to that, it’s their loss!
P.S. confidence in yourself draws others to you and brings out your inner radiance :)!
So everyone, use these tips to get out there, take a chance, and actually meet that person you’ve been hoping to meet for months. And good luck—I just know you’re going to be great!