'I sneezed at least 100 times on our 45 minute date': 20 cringeworthy first date mishaps

Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor

Mar 14, 2024 4:00 PM EDT

These stories collectively serve as a compelling argument for hiring a dating coach.

Obviously, dating is not something that comes easily to everyone. It's the age-old "practice makes perfect" thing. What can I say? The internal struggle of how to become the most grounded, authentic version of oneself without being entirely fake and inauthentic in the process can drive anyone crazy. People who say that they just try to be themselves on dates do not understand what it is to be an anxious human who doesn't even have a full grasp of what being oneself means.

On top of the existential thinking that comes with psyching oneself up before a first date, there are also the myriad of ways things can go wrong due to unforeseen circumstances. What if you have a bathroom accident right then and there? What if you run into an ex at the bar? What if you're eating outside and a bug flies into your mouth mid-sentence (this has happened to me, unfortunately). Well, if it makes you feel any better, dear reader, these folks certainly endured more mishaps on their first dates than I have personally experienced (and I have experienced many).

Keep scrolling below for this collection of first date flops, which were compiled from the following r/AskReddit thread. For more content like this, check out this list of occupations that attract the worst kinds of people.