How to Ask Someone Out On a Date
If you’ve just met someone you’re interested in and are thinking of asking them out, it can seem impossibly hard to actually start the conversation. This is normal. Whether you are a naturally shy person or even if you are the outgoing personality type, it’s easy to get in a rut. The easy way to go about this is to first make friendly small talk with the person, to find out what types of things they enjoy doing. That way, when you do invite them to go out with you, they won’t turn you down simply because you suggested something that doesn’t sound like fun. With this in mind, you also need to come up with a solid date plan. Knowing that you have a plan for how the date will unfold ahead of time can give you a bit more confidence to actually ask the person out.
How to Plan a Good Date Ahead of Time
When planning your date, you need to consider a number of things. First, be creative with your options. Some will look naturally appealing or obvious, others less so. For example, inviting someone to a sporting event in your town might be an obvious choice if you are in a big city and they like sports. Going down to the zoo to look at some animals, however, might be less obvious. Thinking creatively will let you work with more possibilities.
Second, consider expense. Some of the cool ideas you might want to explore could be outside of your budget. Once you have what seems to be the most fun date idea you can actually afford, you can suggest the date.
Dinner Date Ideas
A date idea that works because it’s so commonly used is the dinner date. With a dinner date, you ask someone out to a local restaurant and have a fun chat over dinner. Choosing the best restaurant takes a bit of work. You need to know both what kind of places they like to eat at, and whether your locations of choice would be good for them. If in doubt, ask your friends if they would go out to your chosen location on a dinner date. If they say they would, you’re probably on safe ground.
Should your prospective date accept your invitation, be at your best behavior and make engaging talk over dinner. Whatever you do, make sure you tip the waiter well enough so you don’t appear cheap.
Taking a Date to the Movies
The cinema is a favorite of many people for a date. The thing with the movies is that the attention is on a big screen that everyone is watching and your neighbors won’t appreciate your loud conversation. As a result, it’s actually pretty hard to hold a conversation while at the movies.
This can work to your advantage, a bit, if you are too shy to hold a long conversation with someone. Chances are, however, that they’d much rather you put some effort into talking to them. Make sure you engage in playful banter before and after the movie. Maybe you can tell them why you chose this particular movie, and ask them about their favorite movie.
Attending Speed Dating Events
One dating option that can work even for introverts is speed dating. With speed dating events, you do not have to actually ask anyone out on a date yourself. Rather, the organizers of the event sign up the participants and all you have to do is show up. You have to get out of your shell a bit and actually engage people in conversation, but the structure of a speed dating event makes this a bit easier. You will typically be switched between different dating partners at intervals of four minutes each. This can be a bit easier than asking someone out yourself.
