First Dates: 5 Reasons to Keep Them Short and Sweet

It's all too easy to get caught up in the romance of a first date. You meet, have dinner, have drinks, talk into the wee hours of the morning, and possibly spend the night in each others' arms. A great first date can feel like a dream come true.

Then the you-know-what hits the fan. The second date doesn't feel so good, or he seems different on the second or third time around. You hang in there, trying to recapture the magic of the first date, but it's never as sweet. What happened?

Any number of things can go wrong when you invest too much in a first date. Here are the top five reasons to avoid this dating trap and keep those first dates short and sweet.

1. Most people know how to look and sound good on a first date.

The first date will inevitably be the one where you try to make the best impression. You'll primp more beforehand, and so will he. Then you'll spend the evening writing your resumes for each other, i.e. talking about your accomplishments and all the wonderful things you do. You'll impress each other with witty banter, confidence, and charm.

It's rare on a first date that you delve into things like your recent divorce, his mother issues, an ongoing custody battle, herpes, or five digit credit card debt. Keep that first date short to protect yourself from getting too involved before you both have a chance to uncover each others' flaws. No one is perfect, and it's incredibly possible that one of your issues or one of his will be a deal breaker for the other.

2. It's too easy to agree on a first date.

It's easy to come away from a first date with that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from meeting a true soul mate, particularly if you both spent the night nodding and agreeing with each other. The sad truth is that everyone wants to appear agreeable on a first date. It's part of that whole "making a good first impression" thing.

Keeping a first date short and sweet will help minimize the damage when it finally hits you that the only things you agree upon are your love for Christopher Walken movies and your hatred of Pomeranians. Get to know someone over a series of dates during a range of activities to determine if you're truly compatible.