Should you go on a second date? Check out this great advice!
They were nervous
First dates are hardly ever smooth experiences. At least one or both of you are nervous about putting yourself out there and trying to get to know a new person. There are a whole slew of doubts that can run through your mind, making the dating process anything but easy. When someone is feeling overwhelmed like this, you can end up walking away from your first date with a less than stellar impression. But according to Melissa Divaris Thompson, a New York City-based marriage and family therapist, that's not always a reason to put an 'X' next to that person's name."
You're not sure about going out again
If you're not quite sure about whether you should go on a second date, that's reason enough to go ahead and book it. If you were absolutely positive that this was not the person for you then you wouldn't be thinking about it anymore. Laurel Steinberg, PhD, a sex and relationship therapist and professor of psychology at Columbia University, cites this as her number one reason for going on the next date. "If this person is just really not for you it's not that you're unsure, it's that you are sure, and you're sure that the answer is no."
He shows signs of respect
You may be looking for someone with a great sense of humor or with financial security, but you should also be on the lookout for signs of how much this person respects you. So how can you tell on the first date if this person is going to treat you right? It's as easy as showing up on time. "Respecting your time and showing up on time is rudimentary," asserts Thompson. "[It's crucial] to set apart somebody that's respecting you versus perhaps disrespecting you. If he arrives late and he doesn't care to apologize, that's a red flag."
Evaluate your own mindset
It's not just about evaluating the other person during the first date. You have to step back and look at what you're bringing to the table. Are you being overly critical or just critical enough? Are you letting emotional baggage from previous relationships cloud your vision of this new person? It's time to judge your judgment. "It's not fair to project past partners' behavior on to new people and assume they'll be the same way," Dr. Steinberg says. If you enter the date with that kind of mindset, you're practically dooming it to fail before it even gets started. Let the pain of experience provide you with a bit of wisdom, not a sour perspective. In this case, the sign that tells you whether you should go on the next date doesn't come from the other person, it comes from you.
The topic of conversation
Obviously you're looking for someone you can connect with effortlessly and one great way of figuring that out is through conversation. If on the first date you found it extremely hard to make conversation or to be yourself, this might not be the person for you. But if conversation is flowing freely, that's a wonderful sign. But it's not just avoiding awkward silences that matters, it's the topic of conversation. Thompson says you must be wary of a person who has a little bit of an ego, i.e., "somebody that doesn't ask you anything about yourself and talks constantly about herself."
Positive nonverbal communication
We've all heard somewhere before that a large part of communication is nonverbal. So what nonverbal cues should you be looking for on the first date to see if this one is a potential keeper? According to Thompson, leaning forward and looking into your eyes are great signs that your date is very invested. Any attempts to get closer to you or to establish a nonverbal connection (without being fresh, of course!) is a sign of sincere attraction. Of course, as with everything, there must be a balance here; if you don't feel comfortable with the way this person is petting your hands or touching your knee, for example, then you should tell him.
They're different from people you've dated before
People can be very charming yet sneaky, making it difficult to tell who's worth your time. However, there's one way of determining if the person you're on a date with now might be a good choice for you, and that is that she is very different from those you've dated in the past. The very fact that the person is different a good sign, Dr. Steinberg says. "Maybe 'different' is exactly what you need." If the person you're going on a date with is totally not your type but she seems like a good person, give it another shot. It might just be something you have to get used to, and you might find that this was the kind of person you should've been going for all along.
They're not playing games
My own therapist once told me that if a guy isn't going out of his way to spend time with you or to make you happy, then he doesn't really like you as much as you thought he did. Although it was tough to hear, it sure does make a lot of sense. A person who is into you won't want to keep you hanging or second-guessing. If after the first date they reach out to you to let you know they had a great time and ask when they can see you again, that means he's taking you seriously. "Always asking for the next time that they can see you is a really, really good sign," says Thompson.
Your values align
Dr. Steinberg insists that a good indication of whether or not dating a particular person may work out well and turn into a successful relationship is if your lifestyles and values match up. Of course, you don't have to be exactly the same, but discovering that you have similar lifestyles, hobbies, and values is a sign that you should pursue this one further. If you and your date seem to have what Dr. Steinberg refers to as "general life philosophies" that fit nicely with one another, that's a great sign for overall compatibility. If you can't see eye to eye on the most important beliefs or issues in your lives, then it most likely won't work out.
You want to know more
If at the end of your first date you still have questions lingering in your mind, that means that you aren't quite finished with this person yet. After all, there is only so much you can learn from a first date; in reality, it is the second or third date that matters more. Dr. Steinberg zooms out and takes a look at what dating is really all about, which is a process, she says. "You're going to run into or date people who are 'good' and 'bad' and 'neutral' and Mr. Right could be the very next date." If everyone stopped chasing a goal after just one attempt then nothing would ever be accomplished. Don't give up after date number one unless the person was an absolute catastrophe. There could still be a lot more to learn. "It's just one more coffee or dinner," Dr. Steinberg adds, "and you would then have 50 percent more information on the person to help you make a more informed decision."