Life
Sadly, not every date is destined to be a good one, and no matter how experienced at dating you are, being stuck on an awful date never gets any easier. No one enjoys having to endure hours worth of uncomfortable moments and awkward silences, so it's only natural to want to arm yourself with excuses to leave a bad date... ya know, just in case you need to make a speedy exit.
Uncomfortable as they may be, there's no need to get discouraged by a crappy date. "The overall philosophy should be that dating is an exploration of yourself and other people," John Keegan, dating expert, tells Bustle. "It's about two people coming together, connecting and creating experiences together."
There's no need to feel alone, either: nightmarish dates are a universal experience, as evidenced by the recent trending topic #ExcusesToLeaveMyDate, which the singles of Twitter used to show off their best (and worst) excuses for getting out of a date early. Their tweets are proof that everyone has experienced a horrible date at some point — and that it can't hurt to be prepared with a few ironclad excuses to scurry out the door in the event that your date is unbearable.
Although honesty is always the best policy when it comes to dating, there's also no shame in using a BS reason to leave a bad date every once in a while. If you want some fun additions to your excuse arsenal, here are 15 excuses you can use to get out of a bad date, courtesy of Twitter.
1
You Have A Prior Engagement
If this doesn't send your date a clear message, nothing will.
2
You Really Need To Take This Call
It's probably a telemarketer, but your date doesn't need to know that.
3
You Can't Break Your Promise
You guys should really just consider going on a double date next time.
4
You Gotta Catch Your Fridge
A classic, totally real emergency that you can't ignore.
5
You're Kind Of Like Cinderella
Or you could just say you still have a curfew — even though your parents live in another state.
6
You *Really* Have To Go
No one is going to press for details about your bathroom visits, so if you're bold enough to bring up your bowel movements, this is a solid option.
7
You Really Can't Get Another Ticket
Honestly, this a totally legitimate reason to leave a date... it's the "never coming back" part that's a tad shady.
8
Your Cats Need You
Anyone with a heart couldn't possibly fault you for going to take care of sick kittens.
9
You Have An Important Meeting
Not only will they no longer be interested in you, they'll also be too terrified to ever contact you again!
10
Your Period Came (Just At The Right Time)
Needing to go on a tampon run is always a good excuse.
11
Your Kids Need You
For parents, kids always take top priority, so your date will definitely understand.
13
You Have Another Date
It might sound mean, but technically, they were around first anyway.
14
You're Actually Batman
To be fair, if your date finds out you're Batman, they'll probably want to keep dating you forever.
15
Or Just Tell The Truth
As awkward as it might seem, you can always just tell your date: hey, I don't really feel a romantic connection, but best of luck!
Everyone has different dating dealbreakers, and different ideas of what makes a good first date. Not every date is meant to lead to a long-term relationship, but if you have a good sense of humor about things and can chalk a bad date up to just another life experience, then gradually, you won't feel so much pressure about dating in the first place.
Check out the “Sex & Relationships” stream in the Bustle App for tips, tricks, and advice on friends, sex, dating, and everything in-between.
