Finding a significant other has become more daunting than ever as it has become harder to meet people that you can form a genuine connection with. In an interview with The BBC, author and global relationships insight expert Paul C. Brunson says that the sheer variety of modern relationships has made it harder to find and keep love today. “You can be in a monogamous or polyamorous relationship, living together or living apart,” he says. “That makes finding a partner to match your end goal more challenging.”
Looking for a person with the same goals can be difficult, especially since more people are glorifying hook-up culture and creating negative messages about lasting commitments. Fortunately, dating apps have made finding ‘the one’ much easier since everyone can be transparent about what they want in a partner from the get go. After finding a potential partner online though, you’ll want to take the next step and make the shift from online to offline dating. Having in real life interactions will be the true test of your chemistry, so here’s how to successfully transition your virtual romance to the real world.
Check if Your Online Interactions Have Been Genuine
Nowadays, there are so many platforms where you can meet all types of people across the world. For instance, on InstaCams, you can chat with any person in any part of the globe, and use real-life translation features to overcome language barriers. You can even have virtual dates and go on virtual museum tours or dance parties if you feel like spending more time together online. But while these activities can be lots of fun, at some point, you’ll want to see if you’ll also be compatible in real life, so you’ll need to take active steps to meet each other in the real world.
The first thing that you need to do is to check if your online interactions have been genuine. Honesty is necessary for a relationship to thrive, so find out if the person you’ve been talking to has been honest about who they are, what they do, and what they want in a partner. You’ll also want to have deeper conversations and talk about your lifestyles. This way, you’ll be able to spot potential red flags and decide whether you’d like to date this person or not.
Plan a Casual First Date
Meeting face-to-face involves a lot of pressure since both you and your date will certainly have expectations on how it will go. If it’s your first time meeting someone that you found on a dating app, or if it’s been a while since you’ve been on a date, you’ll want to do away with the bells and whistles and plan a casual first date. Don’t worry about impressing the other person with a lavish experience because at this point, you’ll want to know if you have chemistry and gain more insight on their character and personality.
Think about having a cup of coffee at a nice cafe, or go for a walk in a botanical garden. You can also meet at a market and walk around, look at the different stalls, and taste some of the free offerings there. Keeping your date short, simple, and casual can help to ease dating anxiety. Also, if it goes well, it will leave room for more conversation on your second date, making it a win for both of you.
Keep it Light, and be Polite and Respectful
Now is not the time to grill your date on their religious beliefs, or what they think about the current state of your country.
Keep your conversation topics light and talk about things like favorite travel destinations, hobbies, food, or movies. This is a great way to see if you have something in common with each other. Respect their personal space, and be polite and sincere. Finally, if you think that there’s a genuine connection there, tell them that you’d like to meet again and make plans together for your second date. Avoid giving mixed signals since that could lead to misunderstanding and confusion.
Taking your dating life from apps to the real world is a great way to form a potentially lasting relationship. Consider these tips to transition from online to real-life dating– who knows, you just might find the perfect person to share your life with.
