First dates are often hit-or-miss, and many times they are either really good or really bad. Some students at Georgia State discuss their first date experiences and how their worst first dates have changed their views on dating.
Chloe Clark, a freshman, describes her worst first date as one for the books, noting it as one of the weirdest experiences of her life. Clark first met her date on Tinder, and they started talking on the phone about a book that he was writing.
“He seemed super sweet at first, and he told me that the Holy Spirit was leading him to write a book, which I found very attractive,” Clark said.
Things were going well for Clark and her Tinder match until it was time to meet in person. Clark explained that her date looked much different than his profile picture, and he drove a car filled to the brim with things that reminded her of a hoarder.
“We had gone to the mall, and I was embarrassed to be seen with this dude,” Clark said. “I was like, ‘People are going to think I’m on a date with this man.’ I guess I was, but I was still embarrassed.”
Clark’s date took her out to eat at a local Italian restaurant, paid for her food and then walked her back to her car. Before the date was over, he reminded her of the book he wrote and gave her a copy.
According to Clark, the book was completely different from what she could have ever imagined. After receiving the book, Clark sat down on the curb and read it.
“The book ended up being about how aliens are really demons that are waiting in the atmosphere for the Rapture to come so they can take over,” she said. “I couldn’t believe that I had actually gone on a date with someone that crazy.”
Although it may seem like Tinder dates only bring disaster, according to Online for Love, “13.6% of matches might lead to marriage and 30% of all people who use Tinder are married.”
Freshman Kylie Bick describes her worst first date as a hookup gone wrong. Bick was hanging out with her friend and two boys. The group decided to watch a movie at one boy’s house.
Bick was excited to spend time with one of the boys because she had a crush on him. At the house, Bick and her crush began to make out during the movie. One thing led to another, and her crush asked if they could go further.
“He was trying to get in my pants, but I was not down for that,” she said. “Then he told me that he was bored, and I didn’t know what to say because I didn’t want to go any further.”
According to Bick, the boy got up and left after telling him that she only wanted to make out. Bick stayed inside with her friend and the other boy, and they ended up making out during the movie on the couch.
“I was sitting down in a basement with my other two friends, who were making out under a blanket,” she said. “I was awkwardly sitting there alone watching the movie.”
Fortunately, not everyone has the same experience with terrible Tinder dates and failed one-night stands. There are still good people out there looking for real love.
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, there are endless ways to make your significant other feel like the most special person in the world. One way is by taking someone out on a date.
Taking someone out on a date will not only get both parties out of their comfort zone, but it will give both of them a chance to see if they are compatible.
While some may follow an itinerary so that a first date goes perfectly, others like senior Joshua Morgan believe there is no such thing as a perfect first date. He tends to go with the flow while staying in tune with his partner’s love language.
“Before you ask that person out, you should gauge their personality type, their love languages and their likes and dislikes to plan accordingly,” Morgan said. “You wouldn’t want to take your partner to the park if they hate being outside or go to the movies if they love to talk.”
Morgan shared some hiccups during his first date with his partner, but it didn’t determine the rest of their night. He continued to make the best of the night for both him and his lady.
“Once we got to the Atlanta Hawks game, things did not go as planned, but it was the idea and the effort put forth that made [it] a good first date,” Morgan said. “That was the day when we both said, ‘I love you,’ for the first time, but I know love has no timeline.”
While some realize that things are not always perfect, others want their first date to have a fairytale ending.
Senior Za Jones always dreamed of a cute and romantic first date with a traditional flare. From the dozen roses to the box of chocolates, she hopes that whoever chooses to take her on a date will sweep her off her feet with romance.
“I would want my date to come pick me up from my house and give me a bouquet of flowers, and then we would go to a picnic or something where we can talk a lot,” Jones said. “I wouldn’t feel shy to talk because I would want to be so comfortable around him.”
A candlelit dinner or intimate lunch in the park might be one person’s idea of the best date ever, but some people seek a bit more thrill.
Some students, like junior Tyla Headley, enjoy stepping out of the box on a first date. Driven by adventure, she hopes that her significant other shares the same love for wild and spontaneous dates.
“I love to go hiking or doing anything outdoors, so I would want to do something that incorporates both of those,” Headley said. “I really like the serenity of nature, and if I could comfortably share that with someone, that would be amazing.”
Whether someone’s idea of a perfect date consists of the outdoors or dinner under the stars, love has no sense of time.
