Life

Here's The Best Way To End A First Date

by Kristine Fellizar

You made it through the first date. In a perfect scenario, you looked good, felt great, and not to mention, were super confident. You also made sure to ask all the right questions and kept all the awkwardness to a minimum. OK, maybe in a perfect world our first dates would go off without any hiccups. Regardless of how perfect or how awkward your date went, the fact is it's going to have to come to an end sometime. When the time comes, what happens next? Truth be told, you never really worry about how you’re going to end a date until it’s actually time to do it.

Let me start by saying, it’s a first date. You’re still in the very early stages of getting to know each other. If you think a date is going horribly bad, you have every right to end it early. However, if you’re having a great time, Match’s most recent Singles in America survey found 50 percent of singles think a good first date should end in a kiss.

Whether you end the first date with a kiss or not is obviously up to you. But if you get to the end of the date and find yourself completely blanking out on what to do, just remember these two simple words:

“The biggest pet peeve of men and women alike (but especially men if they've paid) is not getting a sincere ‘thank you.’ Two simple words and a smile go a very long way,” Erika Ettin, online dating coach and author of Love at First Site , tells Bustle. “Even if it's not a love match, a ‘thanks for a nice night’ is always appreciated.”

These are the four typical scenarios of how dates usually end and what you should do about it, according to Ettin.

Scenario 1: Neither Of You Are Feeling It

It happens. Maybe more often than not. If you find yourself in this situation after you spent a good amount of time with each other, Ettin suggests a quick thank you, it was nice meeting you, and goodnight works. Afterward, no additional follow-up is necessary.

Scenario 2: You Both Like Each Other And It’s Obvious

Forget playing hard to get. If you like someone, let them know with a, “I had a great time tonight, and I’d love to do it again!” Ettin says, “Please get in touch with each other. The sooner, the better. Momentum is important.”

Scenario 3: You’re Not Sure How You Feel

End the date with a thank you and a goodnight. You don’t need to promise anything or say anything more. Sometimes, you really need to process everything before you can make any decisions. “Follow up if you decide to see the other person again,” Ettin says. “You’re committing to nothing more than another conversation.”

Scenario 4: One Of You Likes The Other, But It’s Not Mutual

In this case, be honest. When your date gets in touch “give a tactful yet honest response," Ettin says. Something along the lines of, “I just didn’t feel the connection I was looking for, but I wish you all the best!”

Images: Fotolia; Giphy(5)