While you may know the person you've been emailing and chatting very well on the inside, there will be natural physical nervousness when you physically meet this person for the first time, tantamount to the experience one will have on a blind date. Here are some tips to help ease awkwardness:
• Meet in a public place. There are several reasons why this is a good idea. Safety will never be in question, there will be lots of stimuli all around creating "food" for conversations, and having other people around can help ease the pressure of the situation. Good, safe bets include:
• Meet in a place where you have a common interest. This needn't be anywhere elaborate. If you both happen to drink coffee, then a nice coffee joint will be a fine choice. • Meet for a short, pre-determined time period. This way, there is a built-in "escape mechanism" for both parties in case things just don't work out as hoped. • Keep expectations as low as possible. Of course this will be very difficult, but if you can convince yourself that you will be satisfied in coming away with a just nice friendship, your level of happiness will have nowhere to go but up if anything else happens. • Think of how to ease the other person's nervousness. Doing this will not only help the other person feel comfortable, but it will also divert your mind away from your own nervousness. It also has the side benefit of displaying sensitivity on your part.
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