Dating is hard and they say that you often find the person you're meant to be with when you stop looking. But for many people, that's not really an option, especially if they live somewhere like outside a major urban center, where the dating pool is far more limited.
Navigating dating life can be tiring, too — especially when your date does things that really irk you or turn you off.
Everyone has different things that bother them of course!
People shared their opinions with us after Redditor itssblu asked the online community:
"What is the biggest turn-off on a first date?"
"She just wouldn't take no for an answer."
"Had a girl try to convince me to drink alcohol, even though I repeatedly told her I don't drink when I'm driving. She just wouldn't take no for an answer. Nothing is a bigger turn off than a complete disregard of clearly communicated boundaries."
CherryWorm
Sorry you had to deal with that. She absolutely should have respected your boundaries.
"An inability..."
"An inability to hold a meaningful conversation."
SengokuSamurai97
This is a big one, but all conversations begin with small talk and work their way from there. If they can't, it's likely not worth it.
"It was going well..."
"I went on a date about a year ago. It was going well until she started boasting about all the celebrities she'd slept with. I'm not a prude, but it's a weird thing to tell someone you've just met. Was kind of an instant turn off to be honest."
_bad_at_this
Uhhh... definitely not appropriate first date chatter!
"If I'm carrying..."
"People who don't elaborate or ask follow up questions in conversation. If I'm carrying the conversation the whole time there ain't gonna be a second date."
ImmediateEconomy49
Yeah, this can be very tiring. Conversations are a two-way street.
"She seemed to think it was funny..."
""Don't worry about using a condom tonight. I'm already pregnant."
"True story, actually. She seemed to think it was funny... I didn't."
[deleted]
Run away.
Run far, far away.
"Stop."
"A guy who keeps going on about "you're not like other girls" or "most girls are [negative quality] but you're [positive quality]", or "you're so funny/smart/whatever for a girl." In the same vein, the guys that tell you "you're so much prettier/smarter/whatever than her/your friends/random person/my ex."
"Stop. If you think this is flattering it's not. I hear this and my vagina immediately hibernates."
Whapwhaap
That's a very interesting way of putting it but we get it!
"Your cellphone."
"Your cellphone. We are on a date, not the people who you're texting."
DependentLoad683
This is a big one. Stay in the moment! Be with your date! This is simple ettiquette.
"If we are..."
"If we are at a restaurant, being rude to the wait staff."
[deleted]
You can tell a lot about someone by the way they treat service workers.
"Looking at every single thing..."
"Looking at every single thing through a negative lens. It's okay to be positive sometimes."
BurghFinsFan
That's what you think!
Just joking.
Don't be a Debbie Downer. It's not cute.
"This one is very specific..."
"This one is very specific to me, and is stated in any dating profile I create, but smoking. I tried dating a girl that smoked, but the smell/taste lingers, so I don't even try to date smokers anymore. If they show up, and end up going outside for a smoke, dates over."
Draciolus
Smoking doesn't bother everyone but those who dislike it really, really, do, and for good reason.
Chances are you've been on a bad first date yourself. You remember how it made you feel, don't you? Hopefully you walked out immediately. And if you didn't, that's okay, too.
For those of you unsure about dating ettiquette, take note!
Have some opinions of your own? Tell us more in the comments below!
