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Impressing A Date During A Pandemic

Impressing A Date

The beginning of 2020 saw concern over a novel coronavirus that had broken out in Wuhan, China, but nobody could have anticipated what was going to happen next. Over the next few months, the virus had spread all over Asia and was quickly making its way across the globe to Europe and the US. Things went on as normal for the majority of the world until around the beginning of March, when life as we know it began to drastically change. Social gatherings are banned, all non-essential travel is canceled, and even regular trips to the grocery store have become a potential health risk. 

woman in blue long sleeve shirt holding black smartphone

The novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID19, is extremely infectious and the worst part is that many people who have it just don’t show symptoms at all. In the early stages, experts suggest that the virus was mainly spread by these asymptomatic carriers, just going about their daily business with no idea. Anyone showing symptoms was told to self-isolate, but if you showed no symptoms then you’d be completely oblivious to having the virus, let alone passing it to anybody else. As a result, this has led to lockdowns and stay at home orders around the world. 

Schools have closed, workplaces are shifting to remote work, and workers who aren’t deemed essential are being put on leave or furlough. And, it has had an effect on the more intimate aspects of our lives too, including our romantic relationships. Those of us who had just started dating somebody new are experiencing a particularly tricky and unusual situation. 

If you have just started a relationship with somebody new, you might be excited to pursue the relationship, but are still in the early stages, where you’re not yet intimate enough to feel comfortable living with them or having them move in with you over the lockdown period.

How to Foster a Romantic Connection When You Can’t Meet In-Person:

Dating during the COVID19 pandemic is perfectly OK, whether you just met somebody special before this all began or are using your time on lockdown to meet new people virtually over online dating apps and websites. But, the inability to eventually see each other face-to-face can come with its own set of challenges. Unless you’ve decided to just take the plunge and quarantine together, dating at this time can feel like you’re doing a long-distance relationship, even if you’re only in walking distance from another. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help you improve your romantic connection with somebody that you are dating during this unusual time. 

Avoid Distractions While Chatting:

If you are in the early stages of a new relationship, chances are that you are chatting to them for quite a lot of the time. And when it comes to staying close and connected with your new partner, the best thing that you can do is give them your undivided attention when you are spending time together, even if you are physically apart. 

Whether you prefer to call on the phone or video chat through Facetime or Zoom, avoid doing other things that might distract you from what the other person is saying. It’s all too easy to have one tab open for your video chat and another catching up with work emails, but your date will be able to tell when you’re only half-listening to them. Unless you’ve agreed beforehand to chat while you’re doing something, like calling your partner throughout the day while you’re working from home, giving them your undivided attention lets them know that you are invested in them as a person and allows you to help a genuine connection grow between the two of you. 

Focus on Your Emotional Connection:

The early stages of a new relationship are often quite physical, so for new couples who are unable to see each other because of a pandemic, it can often seem a bit weird. But social distancing doesn’t have to mean emotional distancing. Whether your relationship is brand new or you’ve been dating for a few weeks or months before the pandemic took hold, this could be the perfect opportunity to get emotionally closer to your partner and really get to know them. This can feel a bit awkward at first when you’re dating somebody new and don’t really know them all that well, but it definitely gets easier with time, and once things go back to normal and you get to see each other in person again, it’ll make the experience even better. 

Do Something Together:

Even though physically going out with your partner and taking them for their favorite meal at a nice restaurant might be out of the question right now, there are plenty of things that you can do together even though you are physically apart. Virtual date nights have become the norm between couples all over the world, and there are plenty of great ideas that you might want to consider. 

You could meet up on Zoom or Facetime for a drink or a coffee, cook a meal together while video chatting in your kitchens, play online games together, or choose a book to read at the same time or a movie to watch and then set aside some time to discuss it with each other. 

Sharing experiences together, particularly during this time, will not only bring you together and give you more to talk about, but it can serve as a personal stress reliever for each of you and a welcome break from the depressing news. 

Other Virtual Date Ideas on Offer:

Of course, drinks over Zoom or watching Netflix while texting your partner are great but there might be times where you wish you could go on a proper date with them. But while you might not be able to meet up and actually go somewhere, there are plenty of virtual options on offer that you can take advantage of. 

Plenty of museums from around the world, including the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art are offering free virtual tours that you could attend together, or you could attend a live streaming concert together on Instagram or Facebook. 

Put some effort into preparing for your date, too – if you normally put on nice clothes and spend some time on your appearance for normal dates, doing the same now can help you get in the mood and get excited about doing something with your partner, even if it is virtually. 

Allow Sexual Intimacy if it Feels Natural:

Couples begin getting sexually intimate at different stages of their relationship, and there’s no right or wrong time. You might have already been sexually intimate before the pandemic began or perhaps you are beginning to share a desire to increase sexual intimacy now. The sexual bond is what differentiates romantic relationships from friendships and other relationships, but there’s no denying that it can be difficult to do when you are socially distant. 

You might want to try some steamy text conversations or get intimate over the phone or on Facetime. And, don’t forget to make sure that you are ready for when the time comes once you are ready to see one another again. 

During the stay at home orders, you can really get the sexual tension and intimacy building up between you so that when you are finally able to see one another, you’re definitely going to have a great time. You might find it helpful to take supplements like TestoGen; these testosterone supplements are especially useful for men who want to improve their libido and sexual performance, and will also have a great effect on muscle building and fat loss so that you can really wow your date when you finally get to see them in person. 

Make Some Plans for the Future:

Right now, it can be all too easy to feel like this is going to last forever, so making some plans together for the future can be a great way to pass the time, deepen your emotional connection and stay positive while remembering that eventually, the pandemic will pass. You don’t have to get into planning massive things for your future; coming up with small ideas for what you’d like to do together when you finally get the chance, like visiting each other’s’ favorite restaurants, cooking a meal together, or even going for a walk in the park can help to keep both of your spirits high and show that you see your connection going somewhere. 

Communicate:

Finally, communication is key in any healthy relationship, and right now with new couples unable to spend as much time together as they would want to, it’s never been more important to communicate clearly. If you’re going to be busy for the day, be sure to speak to your partner and let them know that you might not be texting back as quickly. This will not only strengthen the connection between the two of you but also help to ease any anxieties that most people will naturally have when they are unable to physically see their partner for a long period of time. 

Dating during a pandemic is something that none of us could have ever prepared for, but with the right strategies, couples can come out the other end stronger than ever. 

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Written by Mark Greene

Mark Greene is writer and life coach dedicated to helping men to perform at peak level. He shares dating advice, style tips and strategies for building wealth and success.