Date Night | Blackfriars

datenight22
2nd December 2020

“Flapjack Friday was made for you and me”

Cuddling up on the sofa in front of a roaring fire and feeding each other a Date & Walnut flapjack accompanied by a glass of mulled wine has probably never felt so out of reach for some.  The stuff of Hollywood dreams.  It’s a brave new world and we’re having to adapt to a new way of life, which includes the way we meet and mingle with a potential new partner.  With social distancing as the new normal, what does date night look like for the single and ready to mingle now?  We asked around the B’friars’ team for their thoughts and advice surrounding this conundrum…

There are some experienced dating app users on our team (both past and present), which seems like the most obvious place to start.  Bumble now allows its users to add a badge to their profile, which signifies what kind of dates they’re comfortable with: virtual, socially distanced or socially distanced with a mask.  Some people have even added antibody test results as part of their profile.  Plenty of Fish includes a personality test - a.k.a the “chemistry predictor”, which assesses your compatibility rate with fellow singletons.  Like what you see?  Why not organise a video call?  Platforms like eHarmony, OKCupid and Match have reported a big rise in video dates.  Tinder has also introduced its own video dating function.  “It’s better than spending weeks and weeks texting only to find that the conversation doesn’t flow and you have very little chemistry” says a member of our purchasing team.  This brave new world requires exactly that - bravery.  There are also plenty of online games that you can play to keep it light-hearted and fun.  Quiplash is a B’friars favourite!  

Even in the 21st Century BC (Before Covid), it was always good to be specific and put your cards on the table. Why not ask someone what social distancing means to them?  It’s a good opener and a way to ask them out.  Any physical contact, be it a touch on the arm or….ahem… anything else for that matter requires a pretty candid conversation.  Then you both know where you stand.  Testing, if possible, before a meet-up is ideal as well as being rigorously honest about everyday interactions.  For a first in-the-flesh date, keep it outside, where the risk of coronavirus transmission is lower.  You can’t beat a glorious, crisp winter walk in the park.  And if it’s dry enough, how about a picnic?  You can each bring your own blankets, thermos flasks and flapjacks.  Or perhaps there is a local bar with outdoor seating and heaters?  And if you really hit it off, why not surprise them with a Date & Walnut jack-in-a-box?  Both Letterbox AND socially distant friendly.  A hearty two thumbs up.