Fail To Fab: Ending the Stand Up “Date” in 2012

By: Jess Downey, Copy Cutie

Fail: When I was in college, I met a guy from an online dating site and our first date was amazing. We continued talking over the next few days and agreed to have a romantic dinner at his place the next week. The day came and I drove to his place, only to find that no one there. After waiting for much longer than I probably should have, I went home. Days passed and I never heard a peep from him — that is, until two months later when he emailed me apologetically. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, we planned another date … and he stood me up. Again.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the only time I've had a run in with a situation like this. The old saying is true: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. So with the start of 2012, let’s vow to end to being fools altogether.

Fab: It’s easy to get wrapped up in the moment of a great first date, but keep in mind that you don’t have to plan the second one while you’re still out. If you know you’re prone to getting too far ahead of yourself, thank your date for the lovely evening and see how you feel about him or her the next day.

If you plan a date and lose interest, standing a person up is never the solution. Instead, man (or woman) up and be honest. It might seem shady and cruel to cancel plans, but it’s a much better option than leaving someone high and dry when you’re supposed to be out.

Remember: If you decide that you’ve made a mistake in asking someone out again, don’t let your guilty conscience get the best of you. And while being a no show sucks, contacting the person just to soothe your guilt is even worse — especially if you don’t intend to hold up to your second date. So let’s start 2012 with honesty and put an end to the stand up date!