How to fix a bad first date

You’ve finally bagged a date with the object of your affections. Well done – until you mess it up by arriving late, getting drunk, babbling like a lunatic or falling over on the way to the loo. Fail.

But all is not lost. If your companion is remotely interested, you can pull it back after a bad first date.

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Use it as an opportunity

A first-date pratfall is an excellent opportunity to show how cool you are.

Shrug it off with humour and self-confidence, and your companion will know they’ve got a catch. But if you whinge and beat yourself up over it, they’ll correctly think you’re hard work.

Put it into perspective

Fact is, your dating failure was far more noticeable to you than to the person you were trying to impress. So relax about it. When you get home, switch your phone off, stick the on telly and get some sleep. By the morning it won’t seem half as bad.

Make a move

Someone who really likes you won’t be put off by a messy first date. If you didn’t get an overt brush-off such as “I’d love to stay in touch as friends” (ouch), ring them up.

Leave it until the evening after the date, of course. Only call right after the date if you want to destroy all your remaining self-respect.

Leave it out

When you call, don’t “apologise” or whine about how you were such bad company. You’ll simply draw attention to your failures and embarrass yourself all over again.

Don’t beg

Desperation will kill your chances of a comeback. If they don’t want to see you again, saying “but pleeease, I don’t normally talk about my ex all the time, honest” is unlikely to change their mind. Cut your losses and move on.

Single? Looking for love? Search for a date now!