Smart Dating for Holidays!
Advice from our dating and relationship expert Dr Pam Spurr, Follow Dr Pam on X @drpamspurr and at drpam.co.uk
Summer holidays are looming and for many singles these can be experiences of a lifetime. The stats make it clear that you can find love - or at least have fun - as a single on holiday. Just over 40% of single Brits have had a romance while on holiday and over 20% of those romances become relationships.
That bodes well for the 10% of Brits who actually go on holiday, as a single, hoping to find ‘the one’.
If you're simply a single who's looking for fun then that's quite easy as long as you play safe. However, if you're hoping to find a romance that turns into a full relationship there are a lot of things to consider.
Here are some top tips to help you date-smart on holiday:
* Manage your expectations. Your holiday is booked, your suitcase is packed, and you start scenario-ising that ‘the one’ is waiting for you at that destination. Scratch that and instead go with an open mind that you may or may not meet someone. That you may or may not have some fun chatting to someone new. And that you may or may not actually go on some dates with them while away.
* Don't forget what their expectations might be. You might meet someone on the next sun lounger. You get on like a house on fire. You plan to meet up that evening. Just remember that they may want a little company, a little fun, a little sex, and nothing more despite getting on with you so well.
* If you're on holiday with a pal it's perfectly fine to suggest you all meet up. It shows you're not prepared to ditch a friend for this new potential partner. And it keeps you safe because you don't actually know this person, even if you're attracted to them.
* If you're on holiday as a solo then do make sure you meet this person somewhere public. I hate to be a killjoy but make sure you keep an eye on your drink so it can't be spiked. Sadly, this happens to so many women in particular on holiday.
* I'd be rich if I had £1 for every time a single has told me they were on holiday, they'd had too much sun and then alcohol affected them much more than usual on a night out with someone new. They felt they had embarrassed themselves and regretted drinking too much.
* The sun, sea and sangria - plus your flight home looming - can speed things up. Meaning you might jump into bed faster with someone than you would if you'd met them back IRL at home. Unless that's what you want - some no strings sex - take your time like you might do at home. Because there are those people who just like to sleep with others as they can on holiday. They see holidays as no strings fun.
* If you really connect with that person, sound them out about meeting up when you're back home. If they happen to be based at the holiday destination, think hard about whether you want to come back and see them again. Again, I don't want to be a killjoy, but some of the hotel staff at sunshine destinations enjoy serial flings with guest after guest.
* If you both decide to meet up back in the UK, remember you don't have the sun sea and sangria and it might be a very different vibe between you. Once again it's about managing your expectations.
Good luck and happy dating x
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Follow Dr Pam on Twitter @drpamspurr and at drpam.co.uk
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