Times are changing. Dates are too. The things that were popular back in the 1920s will not cut it now. You are going to have to abandon the old standby you have clung to since high school.
Otherwise, you might come across as traditional and dull, which no one wants when trying to find someone to spend their time with. Check out the ten outdated date ideas that you may want to ditch in 2017.
1 Not casual dinner
Someone once said to me that a dinner date at an expensive restaurant feels like a highly stressful interview. I agree. You might not be wearing the most comfortable clothes, be staring at the utensils like Leo DiCaprio during the dining room scene in Titanic, and thinking to yourself if ordering a salad is safe or not.
Plus, there is a lot of pressure to perform. These scenes might have worked in the 1950s when that class was considered romantic, not stuffy. But now, it is better to start off comfortably. If you have to go to dinner, or you are both foodies, try this instead: a funky standing-room-only noodle bar or making a meal together at one of your places.
2 Group activities
Not to be read as “group dates,” because those can be fun. But, going on date with a massive amount of people in a row, like to a baseball game or to the club, is just asking for trouble. First, some of these people might be judging you and your partner, but you might meet unexpected competition from friends.
Second, you will not have a second alone. How can you get to know a person like that? You won’t. Save the group activities for relationships that are established, where being separated isn’t necessarily a bad thing and you can have individualized fun.
3 Movie dates
Much like No. 2, going on a movie date is just asking for awkwardness. Long gone are the times when movies meant falling asleep on one another’s shoulder or stealing popcorn. We have got Netflix now, and no one wants to be invited over to chill on the first or second date – not those we are serious about, at any rate.
So what do you instead? I find that watching video clips on Youtube or whatnot over coffee and discussing them with your date to be far more engaging than just staring blankly at screens. You might like this method of rousing conversation, especially if you two are excited by intelligence. Or coffee.
4 Picnics
Now, this is not necessarily a bad and date idea, but here is why it is outdated: the park was not as dangerous and the weather was not as unpredictable back then as it is now. Picnics are also messier than most of us assume. No girl wants to bite into a sandwich and have lunch meat and mustard land in her lap.
If you are clumsy, you might end up knocking juice into your sweetie, which will only make them irate. My suggestion is this: do not go toting the picnic basket out to the middle of nowhere. Have a backyard cookout. It is convenient and comfortable.
5 Highly crowded places
I am talking about concerts, clubs, amusement parks, and center city craziness. Not only are these places loud and full of distractions, they require a lot of commitment to one another.
A lot of protectiveness. It is extremely easy to get separated when evading crowds or navigating an unknown area. Plus, you need to rely on the other person at times, and neither of you might be ready for that yet.
Read also – 12 Group Date Ideas to Multiply the Romance
6 Family functions
Here is another example of failing before you even started. Any type of family gathering is awkward for your date, no matter how old you are. Family members are more critical than friends at times, especially when sizing up your potential lifetime partner. Furthermore, this is the 21st century. We do not necessarily need parental approval before going on dates. Doing this is merely putting your relationship on Dad’s chopping block.
7 Bowling
Don’t know about you, but the majority of places I have lived have a scarcity of bowling alleys. Yes, it is fun, and competition can be a healthy way to make relationships. But gone are the days when bowling alleys were popular and had good food and arcades. Now you are lucky if the shoes do not have holes in them. Unless you live someplace where bowling is evergreen, might I suggest going to a laser tag arcade instead?
8 Weddings
In theory, this used to be a good idea. Want to get hitched? Go to a wedding. But weddings have evolved and are not just cut-and-dry ceremonies anymore. There are a lot of drunks, thanks to free alcohol, a lot of odd family exchanges, and a lot of people tugging your sleeves and saying, “You are next.” Not a great environment for conjuring up the ambiance, except for the married couple. So if you get a wedding invitation, do not invite your date, just go with some girlfriends and bring back stories or a bouquet.
9 Your hometown
Look, as cool as it used to be to take your sweetheart on a trip down Memory Lane, this seems fairly asinine nowadays. Conventional, even. Staying in your hometown forever, or even sounding like you want to, can come off as slightly unsettling for your date. It is like your making plans to settle down or trying to live in the past. If you really want to explore someplace, go somewhere neither of you has been. Discover and grow – that is the modern way.
10 Shopping
Another one that sounds good but is just bad. Pulling your date (or getting pulled by them) into a store to play dress up is simply a step back in time for both parties. You come off as high-maintenance, and your date will feel slightly taken advantage off.
On the flip side, getting dressed may make you feel as if you are an object, putting yourself in the hands of someone else. Look, nothing is more outdated than a sexist date. Save dress up for when you are more serious… or more sensual.
Read also – 10 Couple Photo Ideas to Cherish Your Love
Dumping these ten outdated date ideas means ushering in a new phase in 2017. Some progressiveness might just be the change you need to find that someone of your dreams.
