What You're Supposed To Do When You Mess Up On The Date

We aren’t perfect. We make mistakes, and those mistakes make us human.

When you’re on a date, you can’t help but be nervous. You want things to go smoothly, but your first date jitters are getting the best of you. You need to pause and breathe. No one is expecting you to be perfect and be a complete angel. Of course, you will make mistakes here and there.

If you make a few blunders during your date, here are a few ways you can bounce back.

Apologize immediately.

A simple “I’m sorry” should suffice. Unless you did something completely horrible, your date should accept your apology.

No matter the situation, apologize if it’s your fault. From the lightest offense (like being very late) to the greatest (criticizing her), you ought to cough up that apology if you ever want a second date. Most importantly, don’t just say it carefree. Say it like you mean it – be genuinely apologetic. Remember that women appreciate sincere men.

Don’t overthink.

The moment you overthink is the moment where you start to become overbearing. Here is how it usually goes: because you want to make it up to your date so badly, you become annoyingly apologetic. It’s like you’re trying to overcompensate for the mistake.

Just relax. Yes, feel guilty, and maybe sheepish, but don’t overdo it.

Don’t pretend it didn’t happen either.

You can’t just brush it aside like it never happened. Though you’re not expected to bend over for your date because of it, you're also not allowed to wash your hands clean of it. That’s the typical strategy of someone who is most likely going to keep doing it again and again.

Likewise, just because you said sorry doesn’t mean that you’re off the hook. Your apologies hold no meaning if you don’t make an effort not to do it again. Apologize and be better.

Just don’t do it again.

Seriously. Your apologies mean nothing if you’re going to keep making the same mistakes. It shows that you will never change and that you aren’t making an effort to consider your date’s feelings.

Whether you’ve made an offensive joke, arrived two hours late, or ordered something they’re allergic to, you should take note not to do the same thing again.

Be considerate.

Put yourself in your date’s shoes.

How would you feel if you were the one being disrespected? What if you arrived on time and your date was two hours late? What if they made an offensive joke about you and your culture? What if you’re allergic to peanuts and your date ordered something with nuts for you even though you’ve told them you can’t eat them?

Be more mindful. It’s free.

Show some empathy and reflect. Try to think about how you would feel or react if they did all these things. You wouldn’t like it either, right? Well, that’s how your date feels. Now that you’re enlightened, be more cautious the next time you go on a date. It’s not that hard to think of others' feelings.

Keep trying.

Lastly, you don’t flake out and give up once you’ve made a mistake. It shows you don’t care enough to try harder. If you’re going to give up after one single mistake, then you’re going to give up later when the relationship has developed.

Being in a relationship is no walk in the park. Couples need to make constant efforts to work on themselves for the relationship to thrive. So while you’re still in the dating phase, show your date that you have what it takes to be in a mature relationship. Show her that you are the real deal – that you are a well-rounded man.

Good luck!