Hi all! Welcome to my new column Ask Tosyn. And no, I do not have all the answers so I will be calling on a few of my friends from time to time, to help tackle your questions! Keep sending them to asktosyn@thenetng.com.
‘Hi Tosyn. I met a guy on twitter recently and now we want to meet up. Could you give me some tips on what to wear, where to go and so on?’
Chinny.
Hey Chinny, thanks for writing in!
So, first dates are harrowing enough, but a first date with someone you met on Twitter? I bet you are sometimes tempted to cancel. Questions like, ‘What if he doesn’t look anything like his avatar?’, ‘What if he is boring?’, ‘What if I hate his voice?’, ‘What if he has bad breath’ and so on must be running through your mind now. And if they weren’t…. oops!
First I would say keep an open mind. The truth is social networks give people wings, like that popular energy drink. And a lot of times, we become someone else on Twitter. I would say though, that reading through someone’s timeline will give you a good idea of who they are. Contrary to what people say, they are their tweets, or at least a big percentage of it!
So if you haven’t done this already, please check his timeline and see what majority of his tweets are. If there is a lot of originality there, with maybe some humour and insight, breathe easier. Even if he is not the life and soul of the party at this first date, he has something!
As for the date itself, best to go somewhere where you can listen to each other speak, but are not alone. Dinner is out, who wants to risk those awkward pauses? You could go see a movie but meet up at least an hour before the movie time so you can chat. If you feel the vibe, you can then chat some more after the movie! If not, dash! Another option is to go for an Open Mic night, like Taruwa or so. Once again, meet up before the event starts to test the waters. The great thing about movie and show dates is if you like the person, you can enjoy the experience with them. If you are not feeling them, you can at least enjoy the movie or performances! Winning!
Since the date is with someone you met online, safety is paramount! Please let your friends, and a family member know where you are going! And you do know his name right? You are not just going to meet @somebody right?
What to wear? What do you usually wear? They say the first date is about a comfortable statement. You want him to see you look good, but you also want to be comfortable and roll with the punches!
A pair of jeans, a lovely top, heels and a bag if that is comfortable for you or a simple dress!
Okay then! I hope I have been able to help you out! Please write in again to tell me about the date okay?
