There’s something that I — as a partnered person, probably annoyingly — like to recommend to friends looking for good first date ideas. And that is this: Choose an activity you’ve been wanting to do ...

First dates can be full of potential, but certain actions can quickly put a damper on the experience. Small habits or comments might change how the other person sees you and affect the connection.

At the beginning of summer, I found myself going on such a spontaneous first date that I did not have time to go home and change beforehand. (Ah, the joy of modern dating apps.) For many, this could ...