10 Things To Talk About To Keep Your Date Interested
Don't let the conversation go dry.
First dates are a wild card.
Will he look like his profile picture? Is he a gentleman? Will we have the same interests? The questions running through your mind as you head to a date are endless and can leave you flustered. Although you can't guarantee a date will flow smoothly, you can at least come prepared with a list of topics to discuss to prevent stale conversation.
Things on the first date can get awkward.
You might say the wrong things, slurp your food, but that's ok because you are human and we have so many imperfections. Getting out your words can be like pulling teeth because your body is suffering from a mental breakdown within.
Good conversation goes a long way on a date. If you hit the right topics you will be excitedly chatting for the rest of the night and learning a lot about your date and their interests. You never know what your date will truly be like so it's important to have some topics up your sleeve to ensure your date doesn't lose interest because of a boring discussion — or even worse, lengthy silence.
Here are 10 conversation starters that will get things going and keep those awkward silences from dragging on.
1. Do you watch the same shows?
Everybody loves watching TV. You can catch up on the latest events and watch your favorite sitcoms. Maybe you and your date like a certain show and can bond over your favorite episodes. You could even set up a time to watch the shows you like together on your second date.
2. What do they read?
Books are the gateway to the mind. There are so many different genres of books and series that cater to every kind of person. Bring up your top authors or books and ask about theirs. If there is a genre that you guys have a similar interest in, talk about that and suggest books form that genre that your date has never read.
3. Discuss your favorite foods and recipes.
Everybody loves food and that's a face. Many love the variety of foods that are available and love to cook their favorite foods as well. Ask your date what foods they enjoy most or if they have a favorite restaurant. Do they have family traditions that involve specific meals or holidays?
On the flip side, you can discuss the worst foods you have ever tasted or joke about your personal cooking horror story, like that one time you nearly burnt the house down because you fell asleep with a pizza in the oven or an allergic reaction you had. Get creative!
4. Talk tunes.
Music brings people together and lucky for you, there is no shortage of songs and genres. Open up about your favorite artists and songs and ask your date about what they listen to. Introduce each other to new hits or plan an outing to go to a concert you both would love to attend. Music is a great way to save a date and an easy transition into a second one.
5. What is their family like?
Family can be tricky subject to talk about so test the waters before diving in. Some people are BFFs with their relatives while others avoid theirs like the plague. If you do bring up family, make sure not to make your date uncomfortable and don't dig too deep. Keep it light and positive! Ask where they are from or how many siblings they have and avoid poking around if they don't seem to want to open up.
6. Reminisce about school.
If you are currently attending classes, talk about what courses you are taking or which ones you plan to take next.
If college is behind you or you chose another path in life, look back on t and reminisce! Maybe you and your date were athletes or majored in the same subject. Everybody has a story to tell when it comes to school, whether it was a fun experience or you hated it. Joke about the bad times and bond over your pasts.
7. Share your aspirations.
Everybody has goals in life. Talk to your date about the future (but don't be weird and include yourself in theirs yet). Are they where they want to be in life? What is their dream job? Where do they want to live?
Maybe you and your date have the same goals in life and can bond over similar aspirations and experiences. Figuring out where your date stands when it comes to the future is also an important way to see if you are truly compatible in the long run.
8. Ask about their favorite celebrities.
Many people have a celebrity that they look up to because they are into the arts, play sports or even into music. There are a lot of topics that can be talked about on your date about celebrity because there is an overabundance of them.
Talk about your favorite celebrities and see if you have any celebrities that you like that you have in common with your date.
9. Tell an embarrassing story.
Talking about an embarrassing moment in your life can be an easy way to ease tension and lighten the conversation. Embarrassing stories can make you laugh and make you feel like you know the person you're going on the date with. Maybe something similar happened to them and you can share a laugh about it.
Don't underestimate the power of humor on a date. But don't pressure your date to share embarrassing stories if they don't want to.
10. Bring your hobbies into the conversation.
Hobbies are a great way to learn what your date enjoys doing in his/her free time. You can tell a lot about a person by what they spend their time doing. Talk about your hobbies with your date and see if you can meet up and do some of the activities they like to do together.
Njeri Dean is a writer who covers love, relationship advice, astrology and personality topics. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending her time reading romance novels.