Getting back into the dating scene after being away for over a year can be tough for anyone. But it should make you feel better knowing that you are not alone in this boat. There are a lot of people who were also cut off from the dating scene and are nervous to jump back into that world. Take a look at these tips on how you can make this new chapter of your life a little bit easier.
Have a few text conversations before going on a date
This is a common thing that people already do when they are meeting someone on a dating app, but you might want to drag that text conversation on a little bit longer now that there is a virus that is taking over the globe. Even if you have had your vaccine, you want to make sure that you get to know the person before meeting them in person. If you know this person already and have spoken face to face before, you shouldn’t have to drag on the text relationship. However, if you have never met in person, get to know them through text before meeting in person. You want to make sure that they are fully vaccinated before planning a date.
Ask about how the other person spent quarantine
Ask the other person if they went home to live with their family when the virus started. A lot of people went home and have no idea where to go from here, but some people stayed at their homes without visiting family during quarantine. If they didn’t go to stay with their family, ask them how they kept themselves entertained when they weren’t allowed to leave their home.
If they did go to see their family, ask about them. Did they enjoy spending time with their family? Did their family annoy them the entire quarantine or was the time at home happy and filled with love?
Talk about if the other person got sick
It might be a strange topic to talk about when going on a date in a post Covid world, but it is an appropriate one to talk about now. If you have ever gotten sick with the virus, you can compare your experiences with it since everyone goes through different symptoms. If you haven’t been sick, you can ask what they went through and how it felt.
Find people with the same political stance as you
You want to find someone who has similar opinions as you do when it comes to politics. This used to be something people would prefer anyway, but after the virus, it is even more important to make sure that you are going to date someone who has similar opinions as you. You don’t want to judge, or be judged, by how you treated the virus. You want to make sure that whoever you are going on a date with has the same opinions on the vaccine, the virus, and most importantly, mask mandates inside of stores across the country.
If you aren’t ready to meet in person, tell the other person that
You can’t be afraid to let the other person know that, even after the texting period has passed, you still aren’t ready to meet in person. A lot of us are still worried about getting sick, even if we have had the vaccine. If your potential date doesn’t understand that you don’t want to meet up in person so soon after a virus like this has happened, then you probably shouldn’t go on a date with them anyway.
You are allowed to set boundaries and if the other person doesn’t get that, it is their loss. There are plenty of other people would be happy to go on a date with you as soon as you both feel comfortable. Don’t settle for the first match that you get just because you feel like you have to go out on a date at some point this year. There’s always time to wait for the right person.
Plan a date at the park or somewhere else open
You shouldn’t make your first date in over a year take place in a small coffee shop. If you are already worried about meeting someone new that you could potentially have a good relationship with, along with the anxiety that comes with being in public spaces since the lock down restrictions were lifted, being in a small, indoor area is only going to make things worse. Go out for a walk in the park, or go to the beach. If you want to have a meal or a coffee with this person, do it at a place that offers outdoor seating so that you don’t have to be inside.
Don’t force yourself to jump back into the dating scene as soon as things open up
Finally, and this is the most important part, if you are not ready to start dating again, don’t ever force yourself to go on a date. This will only cause you to suffer the anxiety and boredom of going on a date that you don’t want to be on, and you will only be leading the other person on. There is no reason to go on a date if you are not interested in doing it. Even if a friend or a family member is setting you up for a date, you can say no or cancel if you don’t want to do it. There is no one who can judge you for not being ready to be back out in the dating scene after a year without going on a date.
We are all adjusting to this new life in our own time and if you are not ready to jump back into the dating scene, or if you just don’t know how to do it, you can’t make yourself feel bad for that. Take things slow and you will be back to the way you were before the virus in no time.