Mystic Jade

Community story

I won’t take you to an expensive dinner for our first date.

Jul 31, 2026

Someone shared a dating experience that sparked a lot of discussion. He said he had been talking to someone online and agreed to meet in person. But before the date happened, he started thinking about something: “I’ve never met this person before. I don’t know if they look like their photos, if we’ll have chemistry, or if we’ll even enjoy being around each other.” That’s why he never understood why some people prefer a full dinner for a first date. His opinion was that a first meeting should be something simple — coffee, drinks, a walk, or a short activity. Not because he doesn’t want to put effort into dating. He said that if he genuinely likes someone, he is happy to plan a nice dinner. But after meeting enough people, he realized that sometimes there is no connection at all. Sometimes the chemistry isn’t there. Sometimes the person looks completely different from their profile. Sometimes you know within the first 15 minutes that it’s not a match. He shared another example: he met someone online who seemed attractive and interesting. They planned a date, but when she said she didn’t drink, he suggested other ideas like comedy shows or casual activities. After that, the conversation went quiet. That made him wonder: Why do some people expect a bigger investment before two strangers even know if they like each other? Is a first date supposed to prove effort? Or is it simply supposed to help two people decide if they want a second date? What do you think is the best first date strategy? Should the first date be low-pressure to test chemistry, or should someone make a bigger effort from the beginning to show sincerity?🤔🤔 Leave your opinion💗