Great Conversation Topics for a First Date

First dates are all about good first impressions and getting a general overview of a person, who could potentially be your next partner, whether it be in a long-term relationship or just a Summer fling. There are so many different facets that create a person’s character. I like to get a feel for the basics… family, work, hobbies, friends and socializing, etc. And it doesn’t hurt to ask questions because if you don’t like what you hear or just think it’s not a good fit, you don’t have to go out with that person again.

Family

Some people are super close with their family, while others are not. So if having close families with your partner one day is important to you, this would be good to find out earlier on. Depending on how the conversation is going, it could also be a good time to ask how your date feels about starting their own family one day. This isn’t totally necessary, but I’m pretty good at reading people so if my date is as forward as I am, I’ll just ask.

Friends

I have a million acquaintances and a small group of close friends. Some have a large group of friends and others don’t. It’s interesting to see how many close or long-term friends someone has in their life since it might also reveal your date’s level of emotional intelligence. This could also give you a glimpse at their social calendar, which might become slightly shared with you.

Work

What do you do for work? Do you love what you do? I love a date with someone who either works in the same industry as I do or does the same type of work, but it's also interesting to learn something new. And the way a date talks about his or her job could reveal other passions. For example, someone may work at a specific non-profit organization that. There could be side hustles

Hobbies

What do you do when you’re not working? The answers to this question always have me doing a double-take. And I’m sure my knitting in my free time is also a head-scratcher. I’ve gotten some surprising answers, including fishing, sailing, and curling (an ice sport). Don’t judge a book by its cover! And if it turns out that your date has no hobbies, you could find something a little more adventurous to do on your next date.

A Second Date

I hate that game of who’s going to call who after a first date. So I recommend making your intentions clear while you’re still on the date. Maybe on the way out from dinner or the stroll to the subway, you just throw it in there and say “This was so much fun. We should do it again” or something to that effect.

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