First Offline Meeting
By Claire Brent

Wow! Things must really be going well if you are preparing to meet your online crush in person. Either that or you're completely nuts! When you take your relationship from cyber space to face-to-face you are agreeing to accept a very huge amount of risk. That risk, primarily is rejection. If the relationship with your crush does not work out for any reason after the public meeting, then the situation could be a humungous blow to your ego. What was it? My glasses? Am I fat? Did I have something hanging from my nose all night? You might ask.

Because rejection is just a huge risk when it comes to meeting vis-à-vis many online daters refuse to ever take the leap. When the leap is left unlept, online daters will either miss out on an opportunity for true love or they will ultimately protect themselves and their egos from demoralization. Regardless of your reasoning for either decision, trust your instincts first and foremost. Hopefully those instincts are grounded and justified - and not just paranoid or totally out of whack.

Here are some basic tips to help you successfully complete that first offline meeting:

Dress Accordingly

Your first offline meeting should be as comfortable as possible. For most people, being comfortable means meeting for coffee or a walk. Avoid meeting in a place where you will have to wear clothing that you would not normally wear, such as a pool or a ritzy bar. As long as you are comfortable, you will feel like yourself and be more inclined to put your best dating foot forward.

Plan a Fun Date

Your life is probably filled with memories of dates that have been busts. These dates may have been over a dry chicken, or maybe they involved sharing a movie that barely got any stars. No matter what your inclination, the most important way to impress your date is to plan an occasion that is really fun. Head out to a comedy club. Take a walk in the park. Attend an astronomy show. These are all activities that will eliminate any awkward over-the-table staring and get the two of you active. The conversation will naturally flow as you interact with each other and the world.

Avoid Complaining

When you are with your good friends, it's probably that you spend a significant amount of time cracking off-color jokes and complaining about work, money, your car or whatever it is that's on your mind. However, when you're on your first date with your new potential love, it's important that you keep the conversation positive and optimistic. Share the good first. Down the road, you can sneak in a few realisms.

When meeting for the first time, keep in mind that there is no guarantee that the relationship will work. For whatever reason, there is every possibility that you will fall flat on your face. Maybe there will be no chemistry. Maybe you will have entirely different physiques that you expected. Maybe your crush will realize that you really don't look like that photo of Brad Pitt that you posted on your profule. In the end, keep in mind that no matter what happens, it's important for you to continue to meet people and put yourself out there. There are few other ways to date, after all!

Lost in the jungle of online dating? Grab a copy of our free roadmap at eZ Guide 2 Online Dating.

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