Dating is a dreaded activity by many, but what a date really is, is a nice way for both parties to get to know each other. To see if you like spending time together. To see if there is a possibility that you are compatible. You could say it is a job interview of sorts, though hopefully much more pleasant.

You want to have ample opportunity to communicate with your date. But you don’t know much about each other yet (in most cases), so you also want to avoid those awkward silences. We have put together a few ideas on how to stage your date which combine both – they get you involved in a fun activity while giving you lots of chances to get to know each other.

We hope very much you will enjoy these and that your job application will be very successful on both sides!

1. A café is a traditional meeting place for a date – but to get things going nice and smooth, why don’t you try one which offers a nice selection of board games?
2. Wherever you decide to go – get a book on palmistry and read each other’s fate, learning how to do that as you go.
3. Brunch. OK it’s not very original – but brunches are awesome. Food, leisure, time to talk, observe the passers-by outside and guess what voice they have or which of them would be the best bet when confronted with a zombie apocalypse – you just can’t beat that.
4. Go to a jumble sale, antique store or similar, peruse and invent three most interesting stories of three objects of your choice, each. Alternatively, you can choose a totally weird object and demand that your partner develops a theory on its use and reason.
5. Exchange tutoring – one day she teaches you something (and you’re not allowed to complain. Even if it’s embroidery. You’ll be surprised. Embroidery is cool.). Then on the next date, or that same day if you have time, you teach her something (and she’s not allowed to bitch, even if it’s double book-keeping that fascinates you, or motorcycle maintenance.)
6. Ping Pong!!! It is lots of fun, even a complete beginner can get to a state where he can play and enjoy, and you can talk both during and after.
7. Paint each other’s portrait. This is especially recommended if you’re crap at painting. It is really funny but it doesn’t take up that much time so you can combine it with another activity.
8. Frisbee!
9. Painting by guidance: One of you is looking at a picture that the other one can’t see. (It can be any picture. You choose.) The person looking at the picture instructs the other person (who cannot see the picture) on how to paint it.
10. Create and compare bucket lists. Go and do one item.
11. Planetarium show? It’s basically star gazing (the ultimate in romance) without the bother of mosquitoes – plus you become knowledgeable, so you can then go out (and face the mosquitoes) and look for the stars and constellations in the real-life skies.
12. Rent a paddle boat and explore the city from the water.
13. Go for a hike somewhere spectacular. We strongly recommend trying out the route yourself first – perhaps the promising pictures you found on the internet were from the first mile and nobody mentioned the five more miles of trudging alongside the Interstate highway. We’re talking from experience here.
14. Go and look at the stars. Invent constellations, name them and provide a brief history for them.
15. Go to an abstract art gallery and create alternative names for the exhibits (e.g. “Woman Swatting a Mosquito While Being Chased by Pack of Wolves” or “Hello Breakfast”). Come up with fictional backgrounds for the paintings/pieces of art. Hours of fun guaranteed!
16. Geocaching. It’s really cool – you’re out in the nature, but with a purpose, out hunting.
17. Lasertag, anybody? I mean really, you’re trying to find a partner for life, you might as well see if they’re fun.
18. You know those touristy areas in your town where a self-respecting local wouldn’t venture? Go try them! Take that bus tour!
19. Go for a walk, but task yourselves. For example, whoever sees a post box/bald guy/black cat must hop three times. Or whatever. Sing the anthem. Give a kiss. Anything. For bonus points, cunningly stage your date near a bald support group meeting spot around the time their meeting ends. Or, you know. Post office.
20. Cook off! Try and see who makes the best dessert/pasta/fries.
21. Invent a fictional life for you both together and orchestrate photos that would document it. You can choose anything – a spy couple, rednecks about town, young couple fleeing alien invasion…
22. Paintball!
23. Go online next to each other and make a competition who can plan the most fun/most expensive/dullest/scariest vacation.
24. Scavenger hunt? They are really fun!
25. Get planning! Make a list of goals that you should accomplish during the date and spring into action. Goals can include for instance have a hot beverage in three different places, find a working payphone and make a poem about it, communicate solely through the means of expressive dance on a busy street for five minutes etc. etc. etc.
26. Campfire. What more would anybody want? Perhaps mosquito repellent, but other than that, pure perfection.
27. Agree on a sport you both suck at. Go do it together for at least an hour.
28. Go to a town you don’t know with some historical areas you’ve never heard of. Proceed to take turns and fake being a knowledgeable guide – shamelessly invent legends, assume air of impenetrable authority and state reasons why this street is called Bareknuckle Alley – like we said, go to town. Who knows, you might even fool some other tourists and voilá, a local legend has just been born.
29. Load up on good music and just drive off, ready to enjoy wherever the road takes you. There’s always lots of countryside to comment on. Oooh, look, another tree! Only a hint of warning – this might be somewhat tricky on a first date as it kinda, sorta, hints at kidnapping, especially if you really get lost… Wait for at least a second date, why don’t you.

Picture: Courtesy of paprikaphoto.com