Meeting someone for the first time can be nerve-wracking, but adding the pressure of a date on top of that can send some people into an anxiety spiral that's hard to climb out of.

We are all just hoping for a smooth ride, good conversation, and that all-important spark, but sometimes that isn't the case. It is completely normal to experience nervous jitters at the beginning of a date.

Both parties want to make the perfect first impression, and that can lead to stiff conversation and the dreaded awkward small talk.

I know, from my own experience , there's nothing worse than dead air on a date, so I asked the experts to give me, and HELLO! 's readers, some tips and tricks to avoid umming and ahhing in front of a potential new partner.

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