What should I take with me on a date?
Will you make an impression or a scene? What are the things that you are going to need when you are on your date?
Your about to go and meet someone new. You hope that this time it might be the right person but, who knows, it's a numbers game, right? It might be the most wonderful time of your life or it might be the most miserable and depressing. You've spoken on the phone or over the internet, exchanged emails and done all you can to make sure that your date is all he or she seems to be but, ultimately, you can't be sure and you have to meet them in person. This is the big occasion. What should you take with you?Here's our checklist for stuff to take with you on a date. Some things are perhaps a bit more relevant for one gender than the other but they will work for both men and women.
Money and credit cards
It can be a good idea to have two stashes of money - that way if you feel your date is too grasping or you want to plead poverty as an excuse for leaving, you can. Note, it is not endearing or cute for women to turn up with no cash on them.Condoms
Despite all your promises to yourself that it will not happen, it may do. Take a packet of condoms with you plus (for women) your diaphragm if you use one. Although you should not have sex on the first date, you might.Phone
To leave without this is just plain madness. Apart from personal security reasons, you may have need to contact your date (if you can't find the meeting place or if one of you is late, for example). Make sure the battery is charged and that you have sufficient units left.Paper and a pen that works
You may want to write down an address, a time and place for a next meeting, contact information or just make a few notes about the date while he or she is fresh in your memory (eg names of their family members, where they work etc). Make sure that if you are meeting in a place that you have never been to before (not a good idea), you have the address written down in case you need to ask the way.Tickets, maps, guides or other paraphernalia relating to the date
The last thing you want is to get there and then find out that you've left something at home or you don't know where to go. Although sharing new experiences can be fun, this won't be and you will be off on a wrong footing. If the location is new then it is a good idea to scout it out beforehand.Weather protection
Obviously this depends upon the time of year but it might include an umbrella, sunglasses, hat, coat, gloves etc. Don't assume you are going to be sat in a warm restaurant for the duration of the date - you might go for a walk, for example.Confidence boosters
The occasion is going to be nerve-wracking enough without feeling self-conscious. Make sure you have a packet of mints, a small deodorant stick and a scented handkerchief (men - use your aftershave) just in case you start wondering if you're making a pong rather than an impression.A small present
Don't overdo it as this will cause embarrassment rather than pleasure. Just take a small flower (for men) or a small packet of sweets to share (for women). It's that sort of thing - just a gesture to show that you thought about the other person. It also gives you an ice-breaker, too.Other and more abstract things which you need to have on you:
Good humour
Don't leave home without it. If you are grumpy or can't laugh and enjoy the date then you should cancel and rearrange it. There is no way that the occasion is going to be pleasurable if you go into it with the wrong attitude. Besides that, it is not fair on the other person. Lighten up and smile.Trust and caution in equal amounts
You would be a fool to put your complete trust in a stranger but, on the other hand, they will always be a stranger if you don't begin to trust them. The right stance is to take all reasonable precautions and then, as you get to know each other, relax slightly while always keeping your senses alert for any danger signals. Remember that (thankfully) there are far more 'normal' people than there are weirdos and that even if your date does turn out to be a bit on the strange side, he or she is far more likely to be eccentric than dangerous.Yourself
Not as silly as it sounds. Don't put on an act - be yourself; warts and all. You can't keep up the act so why not give in from the start? Be on your best behaviour but don't pretend to be someone you aren't.A determination to enjoy yourself
Whatever happens, get the most pleasure you can from the experience as long as it is not at the cost of anyone else. Even if the date is a complete lemon, find a positive side to it and file the memory away so that later you can look back on it with mirth. Anyway, you never know, he or she might be the person you have been looking for.Make sure you leave behind any preconceived ideas about your date.
Good luck with your dating. We hope our suggestions will help you decide what to take with you on a date.