Got a Valentine’s Day first date? Here are the questions to ask to make a second date more likely

Valentine’s Day may be a little different this year, but you if you’re single, you still might have plucked up the courage to ask somebody out.

In person or virtual, first dates are hard. There’s no denying that. From the endless supply of sweat that you didn’t know your body could actually make, to the awkward silences when you actually contemplate talking about how unseasonably cold it is outside, to the question of who pays the bill, first dates are often fairly anxiety-inducing. One thing that makes it even harder is not knowing the right questions to ask.

The 9 worst things to talk about on a first date

Now, we all hope that the conversation flows naturally on a first date, but inevitably, most of us will be stumped at some point or another. Rather than running off to the bathroom to plot your next conversation topic (been there – it’s stressful), it’s a good idea to have a few questions in your back pocket just in case the humming of the heater doesn’t quite overpower the dreaded silence.

There are certainly no right or wrong questions to ask on a date, but the ones that have the most luck require more than a simple one-word answer. You want to get the person thinking, showing them that you actually care.

For example, rather than asking, “What are you studying?” or “What do you do?” (perhaps the most boring question in the book), you could ask, “What made you decide to study medicine?” or “How do you enjoy your job as a reporter? I imagine it must be very rewarding.”