It’s clearly been a rough day. I invoked the lyrics of System of a Down earlier. I made The Nipple Sword Lord our Hump Day Hottie of the week. So you’ll have to forgive the weird mood I’ve been in.

Let’s get back to business and talk about more OBC Tips: How To Move Your Online Flirtation to an Offline Date. We at OBC have seen so many potential awesome couples never make it to the real deal because one person is too nervous, too forward, or too creepy (news flash: you can sound like a homicidal maniac without actually being one). So take these tips, guys, and don’t ever ruin an awesome booty-call-to-be again!

1. Don’t reveal too much during your online conversations

Although we absolutely support and believe in online dating, the whole point of it is still to get you to meet in person. However, if you end up sharing everything about yourself, it becomes less and less desirable to meet in person. You’re getting social interaction, sexy conversations, and companionship, all without leaving your house. But you have to remember that until you’ve met in person, you’ll never know a person’s true personality, their weird facial moles they Photoshopped out of their profile photos. Put a limit on how many messages you will swap before you guys agree to meet in person, and stick to it!

2. Plan your date with fun, cheap activities that keep your attention while making conversation easy.

Even as experienced online daters, we know that the first few minutes of meeting in person can be awkward to an almost painful point. We’ve found that the best way around this it to plan ahead of time what you will do, and make your date a fun, casual, and activity-filled adventure so you aren’t left with what journalists call “dead air,” that moment when no one is talking and the air is so thick with awkwardness you could cut it with a knife. Activities like mini-golf (or the driving range), batting cages, go carts, a ferry ride, a sightseeing tour of your own city, or a trip to the zoo can provide just enough distractions and points of interest to keep you talking and entertained. Once you’ve gotten to know each other, then venture to the food-eating or drink-drinking part of the date… then you’ll be less nervous and more prone to casual chatting (and maybe more ;) ).

3. Keep your expectations to a minimum

Even if you flirted and talked dirty to each other online (don’t do this! See Tip #1!) don’t assume that this means anything will happen after your date. Assume that you’ll end your date with a hug and a promise to see each other again, that way you don’t experience that uncomfortable moment where one person makes the move to bring the date inside and the other says, “uhhh, no.” Let the date move organically, reading each others’ body language, and then see how you both feel at the end of the date. Even if you met on OBC, where most people have a pretty casual view of sex, there are still those that would rather wait than get down and dirty right away. Don’t let your hormones and libido ruin an awesome relationship (or healthy, respectful booty call) by pressuring someone to do anything they aren’t ready for.

Are there any aspects of bringing an online date into real life that are confusing to you? Feel free to ask us your questions in the comments!

img via Corbis Images