Chat up your blind date..

Meeting your date for the first time and wondering what to talk about? Here are five fun yet safe conversation ideas.

A blind date can be a fun way to meet someone new and maybe interesting enough to turn into a life partner or a friend for life. And while the excitement is definitely there, it can also be quite daunting especially since you’ve never seen or met your date before. Of course there’s always a bit of apprehension about what the person will be like and look like, but one of the most nerve-wrecking prospects is what the two of you will talk about. Neither do you want to sound too probing nor do you want to come across as too revealing. The best option is to stay on neutral territory. So, if you’re worried about lapsing into extended periods of silence wondering ‘what do I say next?’, here are five regular, fun topics you can converse about.

Talk about him/her: There’s no better way to start a conversation than talking about the person sitting opposite you. Don’t sound too probing, instead stick to regular topics like hobbies, favourite things they do in their spare time.

Compliments: Everybody loves a person who compliments them on their looks. So if you like your date’s haircut or sense of style, say it out loud. You can then ask them about where they shop regularly or who is their favourite stylist, their opinion of some latest fashion trend doing the rounds and a host of related topics. And while you need to make it a point to keep the other person in focus, remember not be judgmental, there's no bigger put off than that.

Food: Talking about food — favourite cuisines and restaurants, best food memory, idea of comfort food, dishes one dislikes, etc — make for very interesting conversation topic. Here too beware of sounding too righteous while voicing out your opinions on food habits. For example, if you are a vegetarian and your date a non-vegetarian, respect their food choices and don’t lecture them about the benefits about adopting your style. After all, you don’t want to end up having a massive argument.

Movies and music: These topics are also great conversation makers. For starters, ask your date about the latest movie they’ve watched or the latest album they’ve heard and their opinion about it. Favourite movies and movie stars, funniest movies, weirdest movies, most-awful movies, favourite bands, songs and musicians, you can talk about all this and much more.

Spare time activities: What’s life without some fun and some excitement. Finding out what your date does for fun and what excites them or keep their adrenaline pumping will make for great conversation. This will also help you get a glimpse into the lighter side of your date.