Your first date with a potential boyfriend or girlfriend can be a nerve-wracking experience. You’re naturally apprehensive about how the person is going to perceive you throughout the date and you don’t want to disappoint them. The first step is to quell these negative thoughts from your mind. You must be yourself and if that person doesn’t connect well with you, then it’s as simple as that. There’s no point getting hung up on the disappointment.

However, this isn’t an excuse to not put any effort into the first date. The first date is a chance for you to show off and impress your date. So, what should you do? Well, if you’re lacking ideas, here are some original and somewhat cheesy ideas you should consider on your first date.

4 ideas for your perfect first date:

Below are some great ideas for your first date:

1. Watch live music in a comfortable setting

A great first-date idea is to take the person to a place you are familiar and comfortable with, where there is live music playing. While you don’t want the music to be too loud (as this will detract from the conversations), it’s nice to have some ambient music in the background to relax both of you. Being familiar with the place (restaurant or pub) is also a handy benefit because it means you know where everything is and won’t have to stress if your date needs something you can’t provide for. For example, your date might want to know if there is a smoking area where he/she can go to smoke or vape. You can easily let them know where need to go to be able to use all their essential items for their casual habit.

2. See a film under the stars

Now, seeing a movie would generally be a big no-no, simply because (like loud music), it can detract from your ability to get to know the person. You can’t exactly converse in a quiet movie cinema, so you might feel like you still barely know the person after the first-date.

However, if you can organise a cute, romantic film showing under the stars, then you can certainly make an exception. A nice summer’s night would work perfectly (since it won’t get too cold) and there is less chance of rain. A nice visit to the drive-in could well be your best bet!

3. Be a tourist in your own city

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to just explore. Both of you might be locals and live in the same city, but that doesn’t mean you have to act like that all the time. Instead, take up a ‘tourist’ mindset and consider visiting a place or places that you were always intending to visit. It could be a cocktail bar, a breakfast café, a cute little diner or fine-dining restaurant. Whatever it may be, pretending to be a tourist in your own city gives you more freedom over where to take your date. It also gives you an opportunity to demonstrate whether you’ve been listening to your date or know anything about their likes/dislikes yet.

4. Attend a comedy night or stand-up show

Now, much like the movie-night idea, this one is very much hit-and-miss. Why? Well, it’s important to realise that everyone’s sense of humour is different. Just because you find a comedian hilarious doesn’t mean your date will. Controversial comedian, Daniel Sloss, proudly reflects on how his comedy specials have led to thousands of break-ups. Humour is very subjective, so if you find yourself laughing away, while your date is sitting there silent, you might have a problem.

However, this can be a great first-date idea if you know certain aspects of their personality or if you know (100%) that they like the comedian in question. A shared sense of humour is critical to the success of a long-term relationship. In fact, political opinions are generally less important than finding shared interests, shared humour and values. A comedy night could be a great way of determining whether this person is in fact the right person for you.

So, did any of these ideas pique your interest? If so, it might be time to start following up on some research. If not, there are plenty of other great ideas, so start exploring. Even so, if you’re more of a traditionalist, why not opt for a simple dinner at a fancy restaurant? Either way, the choice is yours.