Dating can be tough and awkward. Whether you’re sifting through dating apps or meeting strangers in real life, the process can be daunting, overwhelming, and downright unpleasant, mainly because you don’t know what you’ll get when making a new connection.
However, there are creative ways to curtail the feelings of dread leading up to a first date. A key tip is to prepare questions for your potential new boo ahead of time. And no, we’re not talking about the run-of-the-mill questions like, “How old are you?” or “What do you do for a living?” Although it’s only the first date, getting a thorough sense of a person is essential to see if you want to continue this connection or move forward without them.
Specific questions can help you gauge a person’s character, trajectory in life, and personal background. From their relationship status to their mental health or history with their family, the question prompts below from J Lamar Nichols will help guide you on your first date. Check them out below!
Ask if they are single: In 2024, it is important to ask someone on a date if they are single! Many people in relationships go on dates with single people, and many people in relationships are recruiting additional partners. So, discussing a person’s relationship status should be the first question on your first date.
Ask about their relationship with their family: Learning about a person’s relationship with their family allows you to get insight into how they value those close to them. It also leads to further conversation about things like cultural beliefs, how they trust, future family planning, common traits, and more. Discussing family on a first date will help you go beyond having surface-level conversations.
Ask about their mental health: It’s a plus to ask someone on a first date how they prioritize their mental health. Having a conversation about their mental health will allow you to hear how they handle stress and how they take care of themselves. This tends to be a more vulnerable conversation, giving you a deeper understanding and connection.
Ask about career: Asking a person about their career on a first date will allow you to understand their interest and what drives them daily. It also allows you to assess if you could continue to date that person. Asking them about their career shows that you want to learn more about their life. As you show interest in learning about their career, you also have an opportunity to be encouraging and supportive.
Ask about communication styles: It’s important to ask someone what their preferred methods of communication are. For example, do they like calls vs text? Also, ask what their communication expectations are while dating. Discussing how you like to communicate and how they like to communicate on a first date will allow you to see if you have compatible communication styles.
Ask about their sexual health: Some experts say you should not talk about sex on the first date; I disagree. Having an honest and transparent conversation about your sexual health and their sexual health is very important. You must be transparent about your status even before the first date.