Next step: How to act after a first date

When you've taken the big step from chatting to someone online to meeting them and heading out on a first date, you'll potentially be on the way to an exciting new relationship. But how do you move forward after that first meeting? 

We take a look at some top advice for taking the next step.

Assess the date

It's important not to immediately look to make the next move just after your first date has finished. Remember, you just met this person, and while we all know the importance of a first impression, it's important to step back and properly analyse how things went before you rush into acting. 

Sleep on it, first and foremost and then cast your mind back the next day to the date itself. Try to remember the other person's mannerisms. Did they seem at ease? Did they look like they were engaged and interested? This can help to tell you if it's worth pursuing or if it would just be a waste of your time. 

Next, ask yourself how you felt. Did the date make you feel like something that you wanted to do again? Was the other person just your dream man or woman? Was the all important spark there? Remember, while you may want to give them a chance, if there was nothing really there on the first date, then it can be best to cut it off early. You would only be wasting both of your time to continue with someone you weren't all that interested in. 

Give them time

So you've decided that you really do in fact want a second date with your online beau. It's tempting at this stage to just jump in and send them a message. There are more ways than ever to contact people now, of course, thanks to technology, and some of us will get itchy thumbs as we desire to send our date a follow up message. 

However, you should try to wait a while. Remember, they may also be assessing how the first date went, and if you contact them too early, they may feel like you're putting unnecessary pressure on them to move to the next stage. This can lead to you being knocked back, and no one wants that. At the same time, you don't want to wait too long and have them think you're not interested at all. 

Make contact

Standard advice is to wait between two and three days before making contact. When you do, it's best to think about how you get in touch. A text or a Facebook message may be somewhat convenient for everyone, but there's a loss of a personal touch when you get in touch this way. The best way to make the next move is to call them. It might seem old fashioned in this age of technology, but it really adds a little bit of personality and makes them see you as more genuine. 

The best thing to do is to plan out what you're going to say before you call, particularly if you're prone to getting nervous. You don't want to be stumbling over your words when you're trying to impress someone after all. 

Tell the other person that you had a great time on the first date and you'd like to see them again. It really is that simple. You could also look to add in a specific suggestion for what you could do on the second date to help things along. 

It's not only those who want to continue things who should get in touch, though. If you're not interested in your date, it's still polite to let them know. Call them up and tell them you enjoyed yourself but you don't think it would work out. It's far better than just leaving them hanging. And remember, most people will have experienced being turned down after a first date before, so it's not as big a deal as it may seem.