Probably most of you remember your first date in your childhood - that feeling of slight nervousness, asking your parents for permission, getting ready and not knowing what to expect. These dates feel like the most important thing! Then you grow a little bit older. In this digital age, it’s common to meet people online - you communicate, get to know each other better and then decide to finally meet for a date. However, for this one you are even more nervous - you are not sure how that person looks in real life, how they act, if you will like each other or if you just wasted your time. However, when we are adults, we become more picky about our potential partners. There are quite a few qualities or values that are important to us and that we expect our partners to have. Needless to say, finding significant others is complicated, thus not all dates can go as smoothly as expected.
Speaking about that, one Reddit user started a thread asking people online to share times when a date was going well, but other people managed to ruin it. So, here you can find 41 of the weirdest, funniest, cringiest and most uncomfortable stories shared online.
More info: Reddit
#1
I went on a date with a guy who owned a local trendy business. It kind of made him a bit of local celebrity. I am an introvert, I don't like attention and prefer to pretend that I am invisible when out in public. We were on our second date at a restaurant, not super fancy but certainly a little romantic date type place. During our dinner, no less than 5 randoms stopped by our table to talk to him. They were all customers and he was trying to balance being an attentive date without totally alienating customers. It was super awkward. He was aware that I was an introvert and was apologetic about it. He suggested that we wrap up dinner, hit up a store to grab some drinks and dessert and go to the beach - a good way to be around less people. In the shop we stopped at, 2 more people came up to him to chat and then at the beach another person stopped and this one actually tried to sit down and join us. At this point, I decided this guy wasn't for me. I really liked him as a person but I couldn't deal with all the attention he attracted. Some how he convinced me to go on a third date which I am glad he did. It's been 20 plus years that we've been together. He's helped me come out of my shell a little and I've taught him the delights of being an introvert and taking some completely people-free weekends. He is my person and I love him more than anything.
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566points
#2
This wasn't a date going well and then being ruined, so much as he f****d it from the start and kept f*****g it all the way through.
I had been friends with a guy from school for a couple of years. We both clearly liked each other and things gradually progressed to flirtation.
When we were both 16, he finally asked me to go bowling with him because he knew through our previous friendship that I'd had this idea in my head that a bowling date was the perfect first date and he wanted to impress me. Problem was that we didn't live near a bowling alley, neither of us had a car, I didn't live near any public transport links, but he did have a bus stop near his house. We agreed I would walk to meet him at the bus stop and figure it out from there.
When we were both 16, he finally asked me to go bowling with him because he knew through our previous friendship that I'd had this idea in my head that a bowling date was the perfect first date and he wanted to impress me. Problem was that we didn't live near a bowling alley, neither of us had a car, I didn't live near any public transport links, but he did have a bus stop near his house. We agreed I would walk to meet him at the bus stop and figure it out from there.
I start the mile long walk and within ten minutes, the heavens open. I texted him that I was going to keep walking because I was already soaked to my skin so what did it matter at this point, and I was so excited for our date. No reply. I finally get to the bus stop and he's not there. I call him to ask what's going on. He tells me he doesn't want to walk to the bus stop in the rain so thinks we should give the bowling alley a miss... wtf? I had just walked A MILE in the rain to meet him and he had to walk like maybe 3 minutes from his house and he couldn't be bothered.... like, r u okay?
He then proceeds to invite me to his house instead. I don't know what possessed me, but I said okay. I guess I had just known this guy so long and had so been looking forward to this date that I just wanted to let the weirdness slide. But wait, I don't actually know how to get to his house. Again, he doesn't want to get wet, so naturally he doesn't come and meet me. He just talks me through the most vague directions, while I continue to get soaked. For some reason, I perservere.
After another 25 minutes of aimless wandering in the rain, I finally arrive at his parents' house, ring the doorbell... and a random man answers the door. I am freaking out that I've got the wrong house. Nope, it's his uncle. Because, lo and behold, his entire extended family of about 25 people, who I have never met, are round for dinner, and this 16-year-old moron doesn't think to wait at the door for me to avoid this exact scenario, or even mention this at any point or give me any opportunity to prepare myself. So here I am looking like I've been dunked in a swimming pool, mascara down my face, pink dip dye ends running down my top, and no date to be found.
Eventually he appears, leads me off into another room where he plants us on the sofa with no plan, just a plate of dry leftover poppadoms between us, and a parade of extended relatives popping in at regular intervals to size me up. We chat for a few hours between visitors, I call my mum to come get me, and he tries to kiss me at the door. My very first kiss ever, and he went in full tongues. Traumatising.
Anyway, it's been 10 years and I married him 3 weeks ago. And yes, this did come up in the speeches.
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287points
Bored Panda contacted Hayley Quinn, who is a dating coach, and she kindly agreed to share her insights and tips for and about first dates.
To begin with, key principles for making a great first impression, according to Hayley, are to be both interested and interesting. “Get the balance wrong and you could appear under confident, or arrogant. Be cautious of asking too many questions of your date without first sharing the same level of information yourself.”
#3
It was a first date in a little restaurant. She was a bit late and had 2 shopping bags, even though we were going to the film after dinner, but ok, it was a Saturday afternoon, so, lots of shopping. The meal was nice, conversation was interesting, she looked cute.
And then the police arrived and arrested her because she was shoplifting and security cameras had caught her.
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273points
#4
I was out with a guy having a lovely time and he made a comment about a copper bangle bracelet I was wearing. I told him that it was really special to me, I got it during my semester abroad in South Africa from a local. It was a solid copper band but in the middle there was copper wire woven around. He asked to take a closer look so I took it off and handed it to him. He then snapped it in half thinking the copper wire was a spring. I was visibly upset and he said that it was a sign that I needed to move on from my trip and stop living in the past (?!!?). I never spoke to him again
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270points
However if you ask too many questions in a row you will sound more like a gushing fan than somebody who is interesting in their own right. “It's also hard to trust someone who is very closed up, and hard to be attracted to someone who isn't able to talk passionately about their own lives, so remember to share authentically about who you are,” Hayley shares.
So if you are also taking time to listen to the other person, you will come across as trustworthy, not arrogant, by talking about yourself.
#5
It was me. We were having a great time, we had a couple of cocktails and we were laughing constantly and flirting. I dont think I've ever hit it off so well with anyone. I'd not long come back from Afghanistan, she asked about the temperature out there. 2 minutes later I was crying my eyes out and all my s**t that I'd bottled up was coming out. She got all the details that she never asked for and it was awkward to the point where she couldn't leave as I kept talking and crying, for 1.5 hours. 1 hour of hilarious drinks, 1.5 hours of crying and talking about dead children.
231points
#6
He started telling me about how its normal for men to sleep with another woman when they are not sexually satisfied in a relationship without it being considered cheating.
Yes, he did say it doesnt work the same way for unsatisfied women :)
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224points
Speaking about personal topics, conversations about the future and when it’s the right time to touch on them, the dating coach says that while it’s nice to share openly on your dates, it’s also important to remember that what you share should be related to how well you know somebody. “First dates are about getting to know someone new, and having fun, that's it!”
Thus serious topics such as about commitment or previous partners should be left for later until you have had more time to develop trust in the person that you are seeing. “No one wants to feel like they're being sized up for a relationship before you've got to know them.”
#7
Went on a date with a girl and we were hanging out at my place when she saw a spider. I went “Hang on, please don’t squish it. I’ll just get a piece of paper and put it outside.”
From the kitchen I hear a thump and she stomped it, and then laughed when I got upset. Asked her to leave pretty soon after that and there was no second date.
If she had instinctively squished it, then I would be more understanding. But she did it after I specifically asked her not to and was so spiteful about it.
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224points
#8
“Dinosaurs never existed. Fossils are the devils way of testing our faith” - check please.
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221points
#9
As soon as he found out I was Latina (apparently I didn't look nor sound like whatever Latino stereotype he had in his head), said "Latina!? CALIENTE!!!!", and quickly started making sexual remarks and talking about how he loves Latinas 'cuz they're so hot and spicy and sexual...
Nope'd the f**k out immediately.
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201points
So you may be wondering when it’s the right time to make sure that person is looking at you seriously and wants the same as you. Hayley says to focus on how you are connecting first, then somewhere in the early dating stages, if you have established you like each other, you can have a conversation about commitment.
“For some people it will feel natural to do this on date 3, for others after 3 months; Again it's a balance of not asking on a first date, and not waiting so long that you wind up in a situationship,” she emphasizes.
#10
"do you like to read?"
"Not really"
"What kind of music do you like"
"I don't really listen to music"
"Do you like TV or movies"
"No"
There was no second date
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201points
#11
Literally went on a date last night and was going really well until dessert when he said “god, I can’t wait to put kids in you.”.
We hadn’t even talked about kids at that point.
We hadn’t even talked about kids at that point.
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193points
#12
The date started normal and fine, I was visiting town and wanted to have some fun and found him on tinder. He was taking me to a bunch of different bars in the area that he liked.
Then randomly halfway through, while walking to another bar, he does a 180 and randomly starts giving me s**t and being snarky at me because “you women hate short guys like us.”
???? What????
He was short, yes. But I hadn’t said anything? I didn’t draw any attention to something that didn’t seem to matter. And I was ON the date! I chose to go out with him! We were having fun! It’s not like he’d tried anything and I turned him down, so I’m to this day baffled as to what made him snap. Was he expecting me to randomly throw myself at him at some point? Was I supposed to try to cut the date short and insist on f*****g right then and there or what??
I just stood there while he gave me, the woman who gave him a chance, s**t for all the s**t he felt other women gave him. And then I tearfully said “I thought we were having fun, but thanks for making me feel like s**t” and I *literally* ran away leaving him standing in the street and blocked him like the madman he was.
I feel bad for him, but not enough to accept abuse when I did nothing to deserve it. Ask me why I only dated tall, confident men after that.
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184points
And finally, how to handle the situation if there is no chemistry or connection during the first date? The dating coach shares to first remember to choose a ‘low-commitment’ first date to start with. “It's a lot easier to leave a round of drinks at a bar, or a coffee date, than walk out on a 3-course meal. So keep your first dates short and sweet.”
“If there's no connection you then have a choice to either enjoy the chat for what it is (most people can tell us something interesting and new) or walk away by saying politely, but truthfully, ‘I appreciate you meeting me, but I want to be open that I don't feel we have that connection... and I'm guessing you feel the same.’
“The only exception to this is if you feel unsafe; in this case you can ‘ask for Angela’ at a bar (UK) or ‘an angel shot’ (USA) which alerts a member of staff to the fact you feel unsafe and may need help exiting a date,” Hayley shares.
#13
Our *first* date was amazing. I still reminisce about how incredible that night was and how incredible I thought my life was about to become.
But the afternoon before what was supposed to be our second date, I got a voicemail, "I know you went out with my fiancee last night. I'm not mad at you. I'm sure you didn't know I existed. But I do, and I'd appreciate it if you stopped seeing her."
Welp.
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176points
#14
Not me but a friend of mine. This was when we were around 22, 23 years old. She had a first date with a guy. They were meeting at a restaurant for dinner. She gets there and sees not only him but 2 other people at the table. Turns out he invited his parents to their date! So she, of course, excused herself to go to the bathroom and then just bounced. Talk about awkward. I have never laughed so hard as when she recounted her evening.
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162points
So folks, do you have some stories of dates that went sideways? Maybe you have some tips that may be useful to others? Share them in the comments!
#15
Oh my I have a story for this one, first date got dinner and everything was going amazing, so we decided to go for a walk on the trails, and this boy though it was a smart idea to climb a tree! Guess what happened next, he’s ten feet in the air and he’s climbing a dead tree after I told him it was a dumb idea. Next thing I know the branch breaks and there puke and blood everywhere. I ended up going to ER with him after calling 911 and even met his mom! He ended up with a concussion and five stitches in his head, but he’s okey now. Him and I are great friends now.
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146points
#16
I had some odd dates after I got divorced and was trying to meet new people.
So when meeting someone for the first time I would always invite them to do something kind of noncommittal like getting coffee so I could end things early and leave if they get weird. The girl shows up and has her two young children with her that I didn't know about. That wasn't a problem for me and she was super nice so we talked for about twenty minutes outside the coffee shop and I suggested we do something more kid friendly like getting ice cream and everyone loved the idea.
So we googled a nearby place and went there instead, kids were happy and we had some really good conversation for about an hour. I asked if she would be interested in dinner and she said yes but it would have to be several hours later and she might still have the kids, her sitter had bailed last minute. We met later that night and she had the kids again and we ate at a low end steak house, we got along great and the conversation was good! But she got sloppy drunk off the three drinks she ordered with dinner and then drove her kids home after (I did offer to pay for her to get a ride home) and that just killed any interest I had.
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142points
#18
Ordered a pint of beer, it was really good. Got halfway through waiting for the date to show up. She sat down, chatted and said "this isn't what I was expecting" then got up and left. Ruined my beer.
My dating pictures were accurate, so not sure what happened.
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139points
#19
After a nice dinner, we were waiting in line to go see a movie when he started making some super racist comments about a group of black teens ahead of us.
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139points
#20
He showed up remarkably, extravagantly, supernaturally high.
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137points