Advice for Blind Dates
These are potentially tricky – but also rather good fun. It’s always amusing to see who your friends would set you up with and, while it can be the complete opposite of your normal type, this can be a really good thing. (Try to avoid this if your friend is in the honeymoon stage of a relationship though – that’s the point where you want everyone around you to be as besotted as you are, and would happily set up your granny with the milkman on the grounds that they both like getting up early). Again, there’s the temptation to set up two lovely friends who are both great people but absolute polar opposites in everything that matters. To avoid this situation, suggest that you talk on the phone first so that you get a sense of whether or not you are going to click with this person. Then set up a meeting that isn’t too long or onerous just in case there’s no ‘click’ in person.
Try to relax and enjoy yourself. The good thing about a blind date is that your opposite has probably been told a few things about you in advance, and you’ll have been given a good reference, so to speak. This makes the early stages of the date a lot easier and you can judge it according to whether or not there is or might be some chemistry rather than trying to gauge whether or not they are who they said they were via the Internet or dating agency.
If it doesn’t work out
If, for whatever reason, it’s not right for you then be extremely careful and caring as to how you end this type of date/relationship. Imagine the worst possible scenario – that they will take it badly and blame your mutual friend for it going wrong, or that you are going to end up at parties/weddings/etc. with this person for the rest of your life, and act accordingly. Do whatever it takes to make them think that it is your fault that it’s not working and use a reason that is non-judgemental and inoffensive – whether it’s true or not – something that we’ve all received such as seeing them just as a friend, not being ready for a relationship, or similar. This will make it easier for everyone to get along in the future.
