12 Anxious Things We've All Done On A First Date

For some of us — well for ALL of us — dating can be extremely scary. We all want love in our lives but hate having to deal with the uncomfortable awkwardness of forcing a conversation along with a complete stranger. Why oh why can't dating be easier?! Well, believe it or not, it can be. I'm serious, people! Here are 12 things you should avoid to make first dates just a LITTLE less awkward. Happy dating!

#1 Don't stress over what to order for dinner.

So you've finally showed up to your dinner date and you're sitting across from this complete stranger who you are supposed to "connect" with. What's the first thing you do? Talk about what to order, of course. A lot of people find this daunting, but rather than stress over how expensive something is or if it will make you look like a pig, just order whatever your heart desires. Getting through your order smoothly opens up more time to talk with your date.

#2 Don't avoid making eye contact.

I'm not saying you have to look deep into your date's eyes, but don't be the person who stares at their hands all night. If eye contact seems like too much to handle, try looking just above their eyes. This gives the illusion of eye contact without leaving you feeling SUPER uncomfortable.

#3 Avoid long moments of silence.

There's nothing more awkward than an awkward silence... does that make sense? Regardless, kill any long periods of silence with questions about your date. Where do you work? What's your favorite food? Who is your favorite band? These questions may seem pretty generic, but most people absolutely love to talk about themselves, so they'll be more than willing to answer.

#4 Definitely don't ramble.

Yes, awkward silences are rough, but having to sit there and listen to someone ramble on about everything and anything is way, way worse. Let your date get a word in and don't take over the entire conversation even if it's just a nervous habit.

#5 Don't be secretive.

If there is a certain topic you'd rather not talk about, don't close yourself off completely. This is awkward and makes you look like you're hiding something. Rather, offer a general view on the subject that you are not directly connected to. Just go back to the basics of conversation it's really not that hard!

#6 Try not to fidget.

We all have our own nervous ticks that we do when things get awkward or stressful. But think about how confused your date will be if you're constantly fidgeting with your fingers or shaking your leg throughout the date.

#7 Don't keep looking at your cell phone.

So even though all of your friends are probably texting you to find out how your date is going, there's nothing ruder than constantly texting or staring at your cell phone when in the middle of the date. This basically tells the other person that you find them boring or don't care about what they have to say.

#8 Don't stare.

I know, I know... I said that making eye contact is important. But making TOO much eye contact can be a problem in itself. Don't be that person who never looks away.

#9 Don't eat too fast.

Sometimes people focus all their anxiety on one thing as a means of dealing with their stress in a given situation. So it's not totally uncommon for nervous people to scarf down their meal if they're out on an uncomfortable dinner date. We've all done it. Just make sure you order something that's not too messy and try to breathe in between bites.

#10 Try not to make bad jokes.

Is there anything more awkward than having to listen to someone tell unfunny joke after unfunny joke? I don't think so. So why put someone else through that? Don't let your anxiety come out in the form of terrible jokes seriously, just don't. They're not laughing with you... they're just faking it.

#11 Don't drift off.

It's easy to get in the habit of daydreaming when you're super anxious. You're constantly thinking about whether or not you're making a good impression or if you look good then all of a sudden you realize that you haven't heard a word your date has said in the last 15 minutes...

#12 Don't judge too harshly.

Okay, so you want your date to know that you're a strong-minded person that's totally fine. But don't be the type of strong-minded person who judges everything anyone says about ANYTHING. Be open-minded, especially on a first date.

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