Contributed by: ElyseRomano on Tuesday, October 18 2011 @ 10:31 am
Last modified on
The second week of October is National Pet Peeve Week, that special time of year when friends and family gather together to get on each others' nerves. To celebrate the occasion, San Francisco-based dating site Zoosk asked its members to reveal their biggest dating pet peeves.
The top 10 responses they received were:
Texting: The most common pet peeve, hands down, was excessive cell phone use during a date. Unless it's an emergency, your phone belongs in your pocket or purse until the date is over. Dating is all about getting to know someone new, which you can't do if your focus is on your mobile device instead of your date. Be present and engaged, mind your manners, make a good first impression, and only check your phone when you excuse yourself to use the bathroom.
Lateness: Being late is rude and obnoxious in any context, but exponentially more annoying on a date. Being late to meet someone sends the message that you're not really interested in them after all, and that you're selfish when it comes to your relationships with other people. If you find yourself running late, give your date as much of a heads up as possible.
Discussing the ex: Zoosk user Marty puts it best - "I also hate it when a girl talks about her ex to me on a first date... I mean, come on! It's not like us boys are all connected in some way. We don't have a network that runs between us all. If you want to talk about someone else, at least make it someone we both know." Talking about your ex, as the Zoosk blog notes, makes your current date feel unpleasantly "un" - uncomfortable, unworthy, and unwanted. The past belongs in the past - focus on the future, let go of any negativity, and don't approach new relationships with the baggage left over from old relationships.
Turning it physical: There's nothing wrong with casual relationships - unless one date is looking for a hookup, and one date is looking for something more serious. For relationship-minded singles, taking things too quickly can be off-putting and disastrous. "My biggest peeve would have to be being expected to jump into bed with someone I just met.," says Zoosk member MagicBandit. "If you think about it, if they are prepared to have sex with you after just meeting you, would you really think you're the only one? I want to get to know the person first."
Stay tuned for the rest of the countdown...
For more on the dating site mentioned here you can check out our review of Zoosk.com.