You’ve sent emails back and forth through your dating site. You’ve spoken on the phone a number of times. Now you’re there – you’ve made it to the first date with your online suitor. Great, right? Not really. For some reason the chemistry isn’t there. Sometimes there’s nothing “wrong” with the person but there’s nothing really “right” about the person either. So now what?
I say, show class and see the date through. If they aren’t creepy, scary, vile or a complete misrepresentation of what they said they were, then you owe that person courtesy and respect.
Be flexible. Just because you had hoped to meet ‘the one’, all is not lost. Find his or her attributes and focus on them. Use this as an opportunity meet and learn from someone new. It’s also a great opportunity to hone your interviewing and social skills. Learn to ask questions that are actually interesting and could inspire some unusual conversations.
In short, when you meet your online date and it’s not what you expected – be an adult. Be flexible. Be courteous. Be willing to improve yourself from the experience. Also, remember that it’s only a few hours of your life. Big deal.
If you really can’t see it through then cut it short politely. Don’t go into the bathroom and call a friend to “accidentally” drop by and interrupt your date. That’s rude and contrived. Instead, be honest. Say you’re happy to have met but you don’t see the fit. Blame it on that inexplicable “make it or break it” factor called chemistry. Bottom line, treat the person with respect and in the same way that you’d want to be treated.
