You meet that couple so obviously in love, and they laugh as they tell you that it all started when a friend of my friend knew this guy, and my friend thought we'd get along, so she set us up and now, here we are. You are just beginning to believe in the fairy tale quality of it all, when along come some party poopers. They go on about how their blind date turned out to be a real disaster, and what were they thinking, and no more blind dates for them, thank you very much! And that makes you cynical all over again. Shucks! You start to question the sanity and logic behind the whole idea of blind dates and come to the conclusion, that whoever thought of blind dates was probably not in his senses when he did, or really desperate enough to let anyone set him up with anyone. But then, there is also that one part of your brain which tell you that there is no harm at all in blind dating. What about the other couple, you argue with your cynical side? Oh!, those are rare instances. What could be the worst possible scenario if you don't like the person you are set up with? You may be bored senseless throughout the evening, wishing you were somewhere else. You won't have to meet him ever again, if you don't want to though. So as long as you follow some simple blind date tips, there is no real harm, is there? Blind Dates... ...Present New Opportunities When you date, you usually go out with someone you know. This can be extremely frustrating if you've been out with quite a few people, and yet not found someone you click with. You are open to the idea of meeting someone new, but since the horror stories of Internet dating leave you faithless, why not let someone you know, set you up with somebody else? This person may turn out to be totally different from what you would have chosen for yourself, but who's to say you won't enjoy the company? Could turn out to be the right thing after all. ...Are a Great Way of Meeting New People So maybe you didn't really like the person romantically. But you have to admit to yourself that you had an amazing evening, talking about music, food, and discovering that you share similar tastes, or enjoy and appreciate the other person's taste. The only fallout of this scenario is that you may end up with a really great friend, if not a life partner. That isn't bad at all! Gaining a new friend, with whom you can share your interests, hang out, and maybe even joke about your "blind date" as an inside joke, cannot possibly be a bad thing. ...Let You Know How Other People View You If you are brave enough to find out, that is! Maybe a friend of yours found a passion for music in you, that you were not yet aware of, or if she thinks that you are stubborn and strong willed, it is likely that she would set you up with someone similar. (Because let's face it, although they say opposites attract, I'd never set up a vivacious, bubbly, sporty girlfriend, with a nerdy, introverted, sulky, and intellectual guy I know.) What you see in the other person is a faint reflection of how the person who has set you up sees you, and most likely even your date. If what you see is not very nice, maybe it is time to introspect? ...Are Great Because You Don't Have to Make the Decision Yourself Sometimes, as it turns out, our friends know us better than we know ourselves. Our fears, insecurities, strengths, and weaknesses. They may set you up with someone, who, if you'd known him socially, you'd have thought was way out of your league. But here, you don't have the chance to underestimate your worth. You are spared of over analyzing, over worrying, over fusing, under estimating your worth, that someone is too good for you, so how can you ask him/her out. What if they laugh in your face, etc... You have the person chosen for you. And all you have to do is dress up suitably, and go with an open mind to have a good time. Fall-outs of a Bad Blind Date You may end up spending a not so pleasant evening with someone you'd rather not be with. Maybe you'd want to forget those few hours of your life even, if the company is really that uninspiring. Or you may find yourself inflicted with violent suicidal and/or homicidal tendencies, albeit temporarily... Jokes apart, getting frustrated and wanting to bolt are possibly the worst things that can happen on a disastrous blind date, and if that happens to be the case, you have the option of not calling the person again. Or it may turn out that you got really unlucky, and got a really clingy and needy individual, who now insists on calling you now and then, trying to convince you to go on another date, and that can get really annoying. In such a case, it is best to be polite, but very firm and tell them that you are not interested in dating them and that if they don't stop calling, you may have to seek help from the authorities. That should stop them. But the chances that you will be set up with a person who turns out to be the next Jack The Ripper, are, let us face it, hardly one in a million, if that. Internet Dating... ...is another type of blind dating, only this is the riskier version of it. When you meet someone on the Internet, there is no guarantee that the person you are talking to is who he/she claims to be. Which is scary enough in itself. And the chances of finding a stalker, or a weirdo/psycho on the net are much higher than we'd like to think. In such a case, there is also no real, foolproof way of finding out the real identity of such people, and my personal Internet dating advice would be to avoid it as much as possible. But, if you want to go ahead with it, if you think you've found someone genuine, then at least agree to meet up in a very public place. Strictly avoid private or semi private places. Make sure you inform someone close to you, when you are leaving on an Internet date, and tell them the exact location of the date. The Internet is a perfect cover for mentally unbalanced or twisted individuals, who pose as handsome boys or hot girls, and are on the lookout for easy 'prey'. And innocent, trusting young girls and guys are easily lured into this trap. You may be caught up in a situation that is way beyond your control, and scary as hell, and then it is difficult to get help. That doesn't go to say, that everybody is fake. But don't trust too easily, and be a little cautious when it comes to Internet dating. With being set up by a mutual friends, the risk of catching a psycho is almost eliminated, and you can breathe much easily. It may turn out to be a great date, or a dull one, so go without too many expectations. The whole idea is to have fun and get to know someone entirely new. Who knows, it may just click! Think about the endless possibilities, of meeting someone that may turn out to be "the one" for you, or even gaining a friend in the process. That's how it goes, see! To witness a miracle, you have to believe in it first...