The do’s and don’ts of meeting an online love

Author: Domonique Powell
Published: Mar 6 2014

Meeting an online love for the first time is exciting, but can also be scary. You want to make a good impression, yet you don’t want to go overboard. So, how do you handle meeting your date in person? Many larger cities like St. Louis have an excellent singles scene with lots of fun things to do. Here are a few tips to help you have a meaningful first date:

Do’s for Men

1. Meet her at a public place - Meeting in public will make her feel more comfortable. Have lunch at a restaurant that has a good crowd, good food and is affordable like Pickles Deli Downtown in St. Louis. You could also meet for coffee at your local bistro. It’s informal and you won’t have to worry about looking goofy while you eat.

2. Dress casually - Swap the hoodie and biker boots for casual pants and a button-down shirt. Don’t wear baggy pants and tuck in your shirt.

Do’s for Women

1. Dress conservatively - Don't wear tight, form-fitting clothing that will give him the wrong impression about you. Don't overdress, either. Wear casual clothing and go light on the jewelry. You don't want to look like Cinderella cleaning the house, but neither do you want to look like Cinderella going to the ball.

2. Open your wallet - This is tricky, but the rule of thumb is, whoever issued the invitation should pay. If nothing else, offer to pay for your own meal. This lets him know that you are independent.

Don’ts for Both Men and Women

1. Don't overeat - If your date is paying for the meal, don't order the highest priced item on the menu and top it off with drinks and dessert. This sends a signal that you are a greedy user (which rhymes with "loser").

2. Don't dominate the conversation - It's okay to talk about yourself, since you both want to know more about the other. But don't make it all about you. Learn to put a "period" behind your sentences.

3. Don't keep your phone on - Constantly texting your friends or answering your phone while on a date is a deal-breaker. Don't make your date feel that he or she is not as interesting to be with as your phone.

4. Don't drink too much - If you have a tendency to get drunk easily, drink very little, or better yet, steer clear from beer or any other alcoholic beverage. Getting drunk on the first date is a major no-no. If you are driving home–or worse, the designated driver–you are at a high risk of getting into an accident or getting pulled over by the police for drunk driving. If this happens, it is best to contact an auto wreck lawyer in St Louis or the place you live, to understand what your legal rights are.

5. Don't just sit there - After your meal, explore the area. In downtown St. Louis you can visit City garden or the Gateway Arch on the banks of the Mississippi. This will give you two more time to spend together and decide whether you want to continue seeing each other.

6. Don't pretend - Don’t try to be someone else just to impress your date. Your true self will come out eventually if you continue dating. Better to let your date see the real you and not your “representative” upfront.

You will know during the date whether you two are compatible. If you both enjoyed yourselves, then agree to see each other again, but not too soon (you don’t want to appear desperate). On the other hand, if you didn’t have a good time, then politely cut your losses and move forward. There are plenty more names on the online dating list waiting to make your acquaintance.

Domonique Powell, a Miss Independent in her own right, finds online dating an easy way to meet someone new with little risk. While she plans to visit Missouri for the Backyard BBQ Bash, this writer will hopefully not need the services of an auto wreck lawyer in St Louis. But one never knows...

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23905174@N00/2061329074/

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