1. Too Much Information

You’ve known each other for all of one hour, and
already you’re sharing the details of your abusive
childhood, your last five relationships, your political
and religious beliefs, and even your latest doctor
visit. For at least the first few dates, leave your
intimate stories and emotional baggage at home.
Remember that you don’t know a person on the
first date — or even the second or third dates. Not
only are you divulging intimate details about
yourself to a complete stranger, but by talking
incessantly, you’re also not letting your date get a
word in edgewise. You can be sure you’re not going
to get a chance to stage a repeat performance on a
second date.
Get to know each other a little before you spill the
entire contents of your life, and give your date a
chance to talk, too. Only by having a two-way
conversation will you be able to figure out if this
person is worthy of a second date.
Once you get to know one another a little better,
you can start introducing more personal
information (though you might want to wait on
sharing the details of your doctor visits until you’re
married).
2. Embarrassing Moments

The first date is your only chance to make a first
impression. Here’s a tip: If you drink too much
Merlot and throw up all over your date’s shoes,
unless you are a super model, A-list celebrity or the
CEO of a multinational corporation, chances are this
date is going to be your last with this person.
Here are a few other embarrassing moments that
can quickly ruin a date:
Forgetting your date’s name (a mistake that will be
amplified if you happen to run into someone you
know and are forced to make an introduction)
Not realizing until the check arrives that you’ve
forgotten your wallet
Running into an ex-girlfriend or boyfriend at your
old favorite restaurant (especially if you spend the
rest of the meal crying over that ex)
Spilling food all over your shirt, or splitting your
pants
Choking on a piece of food
Belching loudly
Having “intestinal issues” and spending half the
meal in the bathroom
Embarrassing moments like these can make for a
memorable date, but not in a good way. Your
relationship might end that night, but look on the
bright side — at least you’ll have a funny story to
tell your friends later.

3. Ex-Obsessed

You’ve finally met someone who seems to be
perfect. The only problem is that she can’t stop
talking about her ex-boyfriend: How handsome he
was, how perfect in every way, and how he tore her
heart into little pieces. You know the color of his
hair, the exact shade of his eyes, and what made
him laugh. How are you supposed to start a
relationship with a girl who still hasn’t finished her
last one?
It’s understandable that we tend to hold on to the
relationships that were most special to us. As time
passes, the ex in question gets put on a pedestal.
All of his or her transgressions are forgiven and
forgotten, until only the good memories remain —
even if the relationship itself was far from perfect.
If you’re the new girl or guy, it can be hard to live
up to an ex’s idyllic standards. Whether you stick it
out and hope that the person you’re dating will
eventually move on and get more into you depends
on how invested you are in the relationship. You
can make an ultimatum — “It’s her or me” — but
only if you’re prepared to walk out if the answer is
“her.”

4. Cold Fish

On the opposite end of the spectrum from the in-
love-at-first-sight date is the one who is completely
emotion less. Your date might show up on time, but
beyond that, she’s just going through the motions.
It’s pretty easy to tell when you’re out with a cold
fish, but just to clarify, here are a few red flags to
watch for:
Your date never asks you any questions about
yourself, and when you talk, he or she seems bored
by whatever you’re saying.
Your date takes you to decidedly non romantic
places.
You’re not sure you’re even out on a date, because
there is no trace of intimacy. There’s no hand-
holding, no goodnight kiss — you barely get a
handshake.
At the end of the date, you’re left hanging. There’s
no promise of a second date, or any future
communication beyond a vague, “Maybe we’ll hang
out again sometime.”
There are a lot of reasons for these behaviors, the
most obvious one being that the person you’re
dating is just not that into you. You can try to
delude yourself into thinking that he’s just nursing
a broken heart from a previous relationship or
dealing with major life issues. Whatever the reason,
it’s probably not going to get any better. Get out
now, while your heart is still intact.

5. Last-minute Loser

While it’s acceptable to call good friends on a
Saturday afternoon for a get-together that night,
it’s definitely not OK to do the same with someone
you’re dating. Calling for a date at the last minute
says, “I’m not interested enough in you to make
plans in advance.”
Accepting a date at the last minute is equally
problematic. It says, “I’m desperate. I have nothing
better to do than go out with you this weekend.”
By agreeing to go, you’re setting the tone for a
relationship in which you allow yourself to be
treated like a second thought. Expect lots of last-
minute phone calls.
This brings us to another no-no: canceling a date
at the last minute. If you’ve suddenly come down
with a horrible stomach bug and you can’t stop
vomiting, or if you’re going to be fired unless you
work until midnight, you’ve got an acceptable out.
Otherwise, it’s not alright to call an hour before a
date and say your plans have changed. Unless,
that is, you’re hoping you’ll never see the person
again, because that’s exactly what might happen.
This brings us to another no-no: cancelling a date
at the last minute. If you’ve suddenly come down
with a horrible stomach bug and you can’t stop
vomiting, or if you’re going to be fired unless you
work until midnight, you’ve got an acceptable out.
Otherwise, it’s not alright to call an hour before a
date and say your plans have changed. Unless,
that is, you’re hoping you’ll never see the person
again, because that’s exactly what might happen. .