“I Only Shower Once A Week”: 30 Things People’s Dates Said That Made Them Nope Out

Verywell Mind suggests avoiding making too many judgmental comments on your first dates. You want to leave a positive impression instead of coming off as someone who’s overly negative. If you find that you’re not clicking with the other person, you can simply choose not to go on another date instead of criticizing them too much.

While compliments are nice to give and receive, it’s really best not to go overboard with them. Your date might feel a bit weirded out if you’re constantly gushing about how amazing they are.

Meanwhile, you should also avoid talking about your ex-partners on your first dates. A lot of people have had relationships that weren’t stellar, yes. But if you’re constantly badmouthing other people you’ve dated, you’re sending some weird signals to your date. When you blame someone for being unequivocally awful, you can seem like a person who avoids taking any responsibility for the relationship having failed. Furthermore, it might give off the impression that you’re not over your ex or that you’re overly judgmental of others.

It’s also best not to focus just on yourself when you’re going out, Gentleman's Journal states. The fact is, people tend to enjoy talking about themselves. If you dominate the conversation, your date might feel left out or like you’re not interested in them at all. Show that this isn’t the case. Be curious. Ask them questions. Actively listen to the other person instead of waiting for your turn to speak.

Look, the reality is that everyone makes mistakes. Nobody’s ‘perfect.’ And your nerves can get the better of you if you haven’t dated much or it’s been a while since you were single. While it’s inevitable that everyone will make social mistakes, some of them are far worse than others.

A bit of awkwardness and embarrassment is fine. It’s to be expected. What’s definitely not dandy is for your date to start spouting rude comments and insults. You can tell a lot about another person’s values and character not just by what they say but also by how they say it.

While honesty is a virtue, complete and unfiltered openness can create a lot of problems. There’s being direct. And then there’s being far too blunt. A dash of politeness and a smidgen of kindness can go a long way when creating a connection with other people.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should pretend to be someone completely different on your date. It just means that you should strive to be more sensitive to how your behavior affects the people around you. Emotional intelligence is underrated. The upside is that empathy is a skill like any other and can be honed through careful practice and cultivating better self-awareness.

What is the worst thing someone has said to you while you were on a date with them? What’s the most awful date you’ve ever been on, dear Pandas? What advice would you give someone who’s completely new to the dating world? If you’re feeling up to it, share your experiences in the comments.