by Vilie Farah

Created on: January 28, 2011   Last Updated: January 30, 2011

The fun and excitement of online dating will soon get two people familiar with each other and willing to find out more. This is when a real life meeting usually takes place. Such first offline encounters bring in lots of anticipation, an adrenaline-rush and some fear.

Getting prepared for a first face-to-face meeting involves several steps focusing on relaxation, safety and having a good time.

It is of uttermost importance to get prepared for such dates. They can be determining when it comes to a real, long-term relationship.

~ Venue selection ~
The venue selected should be a public one for security reasons. Often, people have one online personality and a radically different offline character.

A popular café or a well-known restaurant will do just fine in terms of meeting each other for the first time.

Meeting for a morning coffee or a lunch is a good idea. Night-time dates should be left for the coming stages of the relationship. The first date is about getting to really know each other. More intimate meetings can take place after this first determining encounter.

~ Letting someone know where you are ~
Safety should be prioritized when you are meeting someone for the first time in the offline realm.

Make sure that a friend or a close relative knows where you will be and when you are expected to return home. If you are worried about the date, you can get the person to call you just to make sure that everything is ok.

~ Being calm and relaxed ~
A first offline encounter will be connected to some uneasiness and tension. Relax. You will be able to have fun only if you are comfortable with it.

This first encounter will certainly mean lot to you. It might be difficult to take it easy and to stop feeling nervous. But expecting too much and worrying about your performance will only interfere with your natural behavior.

If you feel uneasy about it, enjoy some relaxing procedures the previous day. Go out with friends or have an exhaustive gym session. Try to keep your mind occupied with something else. If you think about the date all the time, you will be getting increasingly nervous.

~ Build on the online communication ~
A real date can often feel very different from the online communication you were previously involved in. It is very likely for both of you to be embarrassed and uncertain how to start the conversation.

To enjoy the date, build on the online communication. Use the information that you have about the other person to discover an intriguing topic.

Remember that the two of you already know each other. Though it feels weird putting a face to an online companion, nothing has really changed.

~ Have fun ~
A date is all about having fun. Enjoy it and explore fully this wonderful opportunity.

Select an activity that both of you will like. Sometimes, an activity date will be more easygoing that a restaurant lunch. It will give you something to do, taking your mind away from the need to maintain a conversation.

~ Express your emotions carefully ~
Online dating is always connected to a degree of uncertainty. When you meet, the person could turn out to be something rather different from what you had imagined.

Try to refrain from expressing negative emotions. Do your best to be polite and gentle until the date ends. Once it is over, you can take a decision and inform the other person about it.

A real meeting is the logical continuation of online dating. Many people have managed to discover their partner this way. Accept it as an opportunity rather than as a threat. This person could be your significant other. Have fun and make use of the chance.

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