How to Deal With the Worst Dating Moments

We all do unpleasant things from time to time, but dating awakens something special in each of us. Here’s how to deal with some of the most embarrassing moments you’ll encounter in the early days of meeting a new person, from blatant oversight to secret farting.

Are you not sure even on a date

You might think it’s not that hard to tell if you’re on a date, but in this age of casual dating, people are sometimes a little more humble than they should be. Maybe the relationship between you and your friend is starting to turn into something more, which can make things a little weird and difficult to read. In at least one survey, about 69% of people didn’t understand if the outing was a date or just hanging out at some point.

There is the potential for embarrassment no matter which side of the table you are on. If you think this is a date and they don’t, you are making a fool of yourself. Likewise, if you don’t think this is a date, but they do, you will run into an unpleasant situation towards the end.

If you’re unsure of what’s going on, the best thing you can do is ask and get out of the way before it becomes a problem. Seriously, asking is far less embarrassing than taking the wrong step. You’d always better ask.

Of course, not everyone has the audacity to do this. If you can’t imagine the question, you need to look for signs. These signs vary greatly depending on your age, location, gender, origin, and even politics, but here are a few things to look out for:

• If the evening was planned in advance, it is most likely a date and not just a party. It’s the same if you find yourself in a more trendy restaurant instead of the usual burger on the street.
• When a check comes in, it’s an awkward moment. Regardless of how you feel about the question “who should pay?” the question is, if this is a date, there is usually little hesitation when this bill comes up.
• Most of the time, if it’s a date, you’re less likely to use your phone, reply to text messages, or find random facts on Google.
• If the conversation starts to revolve more around you and your story than any pop culture factoid popular that day, then it’s most likely a date.

All the obvious things apply here too. If you receive a lot of compliments, the other person is dressed better than usual, or there is a lot of touching going on, then you can safely assume that this is a date.

If you don’t want this to be a date, you should clarify this as soon as you understand what’s going on. You can follow the same basic rules for saying no to anything here: don’t make excuses, speak in an adult way, and be honest. If you’re not interested in being romantically involved with someone, just say so. It will be uncomfortable, but much better than the awkward moment at the end of the night when they bend over for a kiss and you have to reject them.

You have a sudden attack of diarrhea or gas

Pooping on a date is a common mystery, and there is at least one book out there to help you navigate the rules of covert bowel etiquette. The golden rules for pooping on a date according to the book are pretty simple: never say what you’re going to do, make sure no one sees you, don’t talk about it later, hold it for up to five minutes, and most importantly, never brag about it.

It seems simple enough, and if all goes well, you can give up the embarrassment altogether … if your poop has no other plans . Sometimes things add up a little bit stronger. If an unpleasant case of diarrhea flares up inside you, you may have to apologize and cancel the date. As usual , honesty is the best policy here, but don’t be too honest. Tell them that you are not feeling well, apologize, let them know that you will call them later, and leave it as it is. There is no easy win here, but it’s best to leave the date before the diarrhea starts. If you’re too late and don’t understand what’s going on until you’re already sitting on the toilet , your only option is full. honesty. Tell your date (or text him if you’re chained to this place) what’s going on and hope for the best. It’s a little gross, but for now, it’s your only choice.

If you keep track of your feces throughout the day , you should at least be aware that problems are brewing, so don’t be afraid to cancel your date early. Just make sure you reschedule it so they know you won’t give up.

While farting (or burping loudly) isn’t as embarrassing as spending a full 40 minutes in the bathroom, being careful is harder and can still derail the locomotive of love. However, this is not required. Take a line from this Reddit thread that shows that the best response to unexpected farts is usually with humor. Light up the situation with a joke. You can even steal one from Reddit if you need to, some of the best post-fart responses include: “My compliments to the chef,” “Don’t listen to anything he has to say! He doesn’t know what he’s talking about! “Or” Now you. ” If all else fails, you can always blame them. Better yet, try to nip the problem in the bud before it even starts with flatulence reducing foods, bye . These include fish, rice, dairy products (if you are lactose intolerant), and strained fruit juice. Good news? Either way, the embarrassment will eventually go away .

You cannot remember their name

Forgetting someone’s name is embarrassing, but it usually doesn’t make you look that bad – unless you’re on a date with them (or you just woke up next to them). This may sound unlikely, but it is more common than you might think . Here are some tricks to try and figure out their name without asking them directly:

• Pass your phone and ask them to enter their information into your contacts.
• Ask if you follow them on Twitter / Instagram / etc. If you’re lucky you get a name.
• Dig into Facebook. Chances are, you have a mutual friend, so go through their friend list to try and find them. If you met them at an event, go to that event’s page and see if they are there. If you have their phone number, find it. If they post their phone number to Facebook, it will open their profile.
• If you are at a party or event with other people you know, ask your friend to introduce themselves, assuming your date will do the same.
• Complain and bragabout your student ID or driver’s license. Most likely they will do the same.

Of course, you can always just be honest and admit you have no idea what their names are, but don’t expect another date if that person isn’t incredibly kind.

You stumble upon an ex

Depending on the relationship, bumping into your ex is already embarrassing enough. If you go out on a date, things get worse.

The trick here is to stay cool. Don’t try to hide, don’t pretend you don’t know them. Say hello, introduce your date and move on. Try to keep the meeting as short as possible (that’s the key), but stay friendly. Ending a conversation is always a little awkward, but if you’re struggling, just indicate that you are on your way and are running late. While this is pretty self-explanatory, The Huffington Post adds that you shouldn’t talk about the past, even if it might make sense in context (for example, if you’re in their favorite restaurant, bar, or somewhere else).

If you’re lucky, this is where the conversation ends and your date doesn’t get any wiser. If your date asks about your ex, be honest and tell them you’ve dated before. You don’t have to dig into the whole story (in fact, you really shouldn’t), but since there is always the chance that you will run into them again, it is best to stick to the truth.

Your kiss is rejected

So you’re on your first or second date (or whatever) and everything is going well. So good that you decide to bend over for that first kiss. But much to your surprise, your date turns its head and chases you away. Now you just sit with an awkward smile on your face and wish the world to swallow you down the hole. Are you retreating? Pretend you’re going to reach for something behind their back? Throw a tantrum? Ask them, “Why not?”

Don’t do any of this.

If you act like an idiot, you not only close off any future potential in this relationship, but you also become desperate. Instead, act like an adult and accept it. Rejection doesn’t mean they don’t like you. As our friend Dr. Nerdlow points out , it’s best to take a step back, apologize (say something like, “Sorry, I believe I read the wrong signals”) and move on.

As with any rejection, this is also the best time to learn . After you’ve broken up, mentally go through the date again to see where you might have misinterpreted some of the cues. What was their body language like? Was it touching? Did they do the “triangle gaze” (looking from one eye to the other, then to your lips)? Most likely, you misunderstood something. It’s okay, it happens to everyone. The best way to prevent this from happening again is to find out the signs of when someone really wants this kiss. If they approach you during a date, touch you, or pay close attention to their (or your) mouth, then kissing is probably a safe bet.

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