Meeting Your Date

Always use common sense and exercise caution when arranging to meet someone you've met only online. Although most people will come across as being trustworthy, and most are, never do anything that could lead you to feel uneasy about a situation.

1. Only Meet your Date When You're Comfortable
If you feel uncomfortable about meeting, then don't agree to meet. It's not advisable to to give out your home number, address, or personal details unless you're sure about the person you wish to meet.

2. How Much do you Know About your Date?
If you do decide it's time to take your friendship a step further, ask yourself how much you know the person you're arranging to meet. Do you know about their family, their job and the area they live in? Have you seen a couple of photos of them in different situations? Have you spoken on the phone? Do you feel comfortable about meeting?

3. Tell Someone Close Where You're Going
Tell a person close to you about the meeting. Tell them where you're going, when you're meeting them, where the meeting will take place, what time you'll be returning. Give a person close to you as much information as you can. If you have a mobile phone or are near to a pay phone, then perhaps call to say you're fine and that everything is great.

4. Meet your Date in Public
Agree to meet in a public place (e.g. a restaurant or bar) or somewhere where there are plenty of other people. You'll actually feel more comfortable meeting in familiar surroundings where you can relax and enjoy the experience. You could arrange to have other friends in the same place, but at a distance, so that you feel more relaxed.

5. Reaching your Rendezvous Point
Do not agree to be collected from work or home, and make your own way there and back home on your first encounter. Alternatively, ask a friend to take you there and collect you afterwards.

6. Stay in Charge of the Accommodation
If you're meeting in another town, ALWAYS stay in a hotel you have arranged yourself., and never stay at their accommodation, however generous. This will enable you both to feel less pressure, to relax into the situation and find some common ground. If possible, arrange the hotel in a secure area of the city you're visiting, and arrange the hotel yourself. It's always easier to escape a date that's not going well, when you're not staying with them.

7. Restrict the Time of your First Date
You may find it a good insurance to restrict the time of the first meeting. For example, meet at lunch or after work for an hour - this will give you a chance to see if there's a spark between you before progressing further.

Remember:
If at any point you wish to leave the date then do so - if you're not relaxed then you will not enjoy the date.

Don't be despondent if you don't hit it off with the first person you meet - it could well take a few meetings with different people before you find that special person, but you may well make other friends along the way.

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