8 Things to Talk About on Your Next Date

Dating can be exhausting. Online dating even more so! However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun as well. Everyone knows the feeling of excitement and nerves before that first date; you want to talk about everything, in order to really get to know the other person.

But what about the second date? No one ever tells you how to prepare for a second date. Where do you go? What do you talk about? That’s why we’ve put together a list of great conversation starters, so you can feel that second date spark just like the first date.

A few tips. It’s best if the dates don’t feel repetitive – try to make them as unique as possible. You can do this by changing up the conversation. Take it upon yourself to make sure that there are no awkward silences – because we all know how uncomfortable those can be! Make sure you have some topics planned ahead, so you don’t find yourself babbling away in order to fight the awkward silence.  This way you can avoid making things even more uncomfortable, and be in control of the conversation, instead of having to put your foot in your mouth!

Come prepared. In order to avoid mishaps, prepare a bit for your next date. You wouldn’t go to class without doing your homework, would you? Or go to an interview without preparing first? If you put some effort into prepping for your date, the results can be tremendous. Your date will be more engaging and fun, and your date will see your best side!

8 Conversation Topics for Your Upcoming Date:

1. Family Relationships

You don’t have to dig too deep to understand someone’s relationship with their family. Beyond just asking the ages of your date’s siblings, try to get them to really share. Are they close with their parents? I also like to see how they discuss their family – ask what their family members are like. Does a smile light up their face when they tell you about their little sister? Or do they try to change the subject? You can learn a lot about a person when they speak about their family. You should also be aware of red flags such as your date speaking ill or showing anger towards his mother or sisters. If he naturally disrespects females in his close family, he clearly has anger issues with women and you should stay clear.

2. What Do They “Do”?

This question usually relates directly to work. But try not to make this sound like a job interview. You don’t care what is on their CV. Learn about what they really do. How do they spend their time? Are they all work and no play? Do they feel passionate about what they invest their time in? You’re not interrogating them, but people are used to answering this question with their job title. Delve a little deeper. Do they sound motivated? Ambitious? Bored? Do you share the same views about how you spend your time?

3. Two Truths and a Lie

Two Truths and a Lie is one of the best icebreakers. It’s usually used for a bigger group of people, but it works great for a couple as well! You each have to take turns coming up with two facts about yourself and one lie. The other person then has to guess which of the three statements is the lie. Instead of trying to find an interesting reply to “So, tell me about yourself,” this game forces you to think of interesting tidbits that you most likely wouldn’t have thought of or discovered otherwise. You get the most out of this game if your truths (and your lie!) are told as stories, rather than just in one sentence. Get creative!

4. Life Goals

This one seems obvious. However, many people end up avoiding this topic on the first date, or even within the first month of dating. If you want to make sure that you’re on the same page early on, before wasting your time on further dates or in a relationship that’s going nowhere, you’re better off having this conversation as soon as possible. You don’t have to get scary and tell your date that you want to have their babies or anything… But it’s important to make sure that you’re both heading in the same general direction so that nobody’s time is unnecessarily wasted.

5. Word Association

This may seem childish, but it can be really fun with someone new (especially after you’ve both had a drink or two!). It’s as simple as it sounds – you say one word, and your date says the first word they think of, and so on. If you have good chemistry, this can lead to a lot of laughs, as well as let you get to know how your date’s mind works. They may be curious how you got from “dog” to “ball gown,” for example. Here’s your chance to tell them about that time you dressed your poodle Lucinda in a gown at your eccentric friend’s puppy party.

6. Your Crazy Sides

“What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?” That sounds pretty lame and over-used, but it’s actually a great question for a first date. It gets you thinking about crazy stories from your past that feel like ages ago, but are still crystal clear in your memory. You’ll get to be surprised by your date’s stories as well. This topic is especially on point for those who come off as shy but have a wild side waiting to come out.

7. Your Favourite Things

What do you love the most in the world? It could be your swing dancing hobby, your adorable niece, or the beach. Ask each other about your hobbies and interests, and get deeper into it – there are definitely many things about both of you that may not fall into the traditional “hobby” area, but still tell a lot about you and what you’re passionate about. Speaking about your ultimate favourite things will help both of open up to each other.

8. The People Around You

Finding it hard to think of things to say to one another? Use other people to spice up your date! Just people watch together and tell your observations to each other. Guess how long the couple at the table near you has been dating. Is it their first date or their 10^th wedding anniversary? How do you suppose they met? Where do you think they’re from? Make a story out of each person near you. This gets you both in a playful, imaginative mode, and also brings you closer together since you will both be coming up with your speculations and stories as a team.

Looking for someone to try these conversations with? Look no further!