SIX QUESTIONS TO ASK ON A FIRST DATE

Dating can be super awkward, am I right? What do you talk about? And how do you figure out if this person is a potential romantic prospect without subjecting him or her to the Spanish inquisition? It’s an anxiety ridden minefield.

So, to help us all navigate the dating terrain, I threw the question to my girlfriends. Most of them are married or in serious relationships, so clearly they know something I don’t. To be honest, most of their suggestions were a little non PC and therefore wildly unhelpful, so I’ve dug around a little and narrowed it down to the best and most widely agreed upon questions to ask on a first date.

What is your favourite place you’ve travelled to and where to next?

Everyone loves to travel, or at least every Bumble profile claims to, so if you do too this will give you some common ground to get the conversation going. Bringing up travel will give you a sense of who your date is. Are they the adventurous type? Do they prefer the snow or the beach? And so on…The beauty of this question is that it is open ended and if you’ve both got some juicy travel stories to share then it’s a good one to sink your teeth into for a good portion of your date.

What was the first concert you went to?                 

This is one of my personal faves. The music you love says a lot about your personality and is therefore a great topic for a first date. Asking about their first concert experience will not only open the discussion about your favourite songs and artists, but could potentially lead to a fun story-telling trip down memory lane.

Are you a dog or a cat person?

I for one use this one as a bit of a compatibility test. Studies show that dog people are usually more extraverted, outdoorsy, lively and seeking companionship, while cat people are slightly more intelligent, sensitive, neurotic and require more affection.

While I’m sure dog and cat lovers can co-exist in a relationship, knowing which way your date leans may help you to decide if a second date gets the green light.

If you won $20 million in the lottery and had one week to spend it, what would you spend it on?

This one is a bit of fun but will give you a sneak peek into your date’s priorities, their level of generosity and their frivolity. Plus, it’s always fun to daydream….

Where did you grow up?

It can sometimes feel a little intrusive asking about somebody’s family on the first meeting, however inquiring into where they grew up will allow to you get a sense of their upbringing, values, family dynamic and of course which team they barrack for (you know, all of the important stuff), without feeling like you’re overstepping the mark.

What do you do for fun?

Are you a sportsman? A Netflix binger? A local pub connoisseur? A gamer? Or, all of the above? This is an easy question to bring up on a first date that will allow to you discover your date’s passions, hobbies and pastimes whilst also helping you to deduce whether you have anything in common with them.

While I can personally attest to these questions being well received on a first date, by no means should they be taken as gospel. If you be yourself and have a bit of fun, then the conversation should flow naturally. If not, then just keep on swiping, kids.

Feature Image Credit – Cody Black on Unsplash