Dating as a single person can be incredibly intimidating and stressful, especially if you’re someone who has had very little to no experience with it before. Whether you have recently come out of a relationship or have been single for a while, the process of finding someone else can be an even greater challenge.

The first step when beginning to date as a single is to create a profile on a dating site. Doing this lets you express your likes, interests, and desires to potential partners, as well as get an idea of what other options are out there. You can also look through the profiles of others, narrowing down those you think you may have a connection with.

Once you’ve established yourself online, it’s important to remember to be open-minded and patient with the process. You may not immediately meet someone you click with and you should not feel discouraged. You may have to go on a few dates with different people before you find the perfect match.

When you finally do go on your first date, take your time getting to know the other person and engaging in conversation. Pay attention to their words, body language, and other hints that can give you a better idea of who they are and the kind of person they are.

When it comes down to the end of the date, you should be comfortable with expressing whether or not you’d like to go on another date. If you’re interested, you should let your date know and if not, be honest about that as well.

Singles dating can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Take your time, be honest and open-minded and you’ll be sure to find someone who is perfect for you.