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With the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, a lot of you might
have stopped going on dates or trying to meet new people. That’s fine, it’s
been a tough time for a lot of people but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have
to stop meeting new people or going on dates, especially as online dates are
becoming so prevalent now.
You may have been taking part in virtual or socially
distanced dates already, but I am going to be sharing some online date ideas
and in person date ideas around Dorset for you to get back into the swing of
things. I will also try and give you my best advice on dating, I don’t consider
myself an expert but I managed to get myself a boyfriend and we have been
together for nearly 3 years so I must be doing something right.
Online Date Ideas
If you’re on the dating scene and haven’t tried online
dating yet then you need to! As the pandemic has made most of us realise, we
really rely on technology so we may as well use it to meet new people. It is
quickly becoming the norm for people looking for dates and it can help you connect
with others in a safe way. You can find local single people on a Dorset Dating Site.
One of the main benefits of online dating is that you don’t
have to leave your house so if you feel the date went terribly, it’s not too
much lost as you won’t have gone anywhere. Also, they won’t notice if you’re in
pyjama bottoms on a call. Look up dating sites UK to find singles in your area.
Quiz
I feel like so many people have done quizzes over zoom so
why not do it on a date? It would be fun to make up some questions to ask each
other as a way to get to know each other. Obviously if you are only just
getting to know them you need to be careful with what you ask them, but it
could be a really cool way to find out what you have in common.
Drawing Games
You could pick any game to play on an online date, I am just
using a drawing one as an example of something that could be fun. You could
challenge each other to draw the same thing and see who’s is best, or draw
something and the other person has to guess what it is.
Date Ideas Around Dorset
Now that rules are being relaxed and you can meet someone
outside at a distance, it might be nice to start dating in person again, so I’m
going to give you a few ideas of what you could do with someone out and about
round Dorset.
Here are some socially distanced date ideas that are great for meeting new people
- Outdoor Minigolf
- Walk along the Beach
- Have a picnic in a park
- Get takeaway food or coffees
Before we finish, I’d just like to share with you my number
one piece of advice before dating. If you are nervous about whether they will like
you, just focus on whether or not you will like them. After all, the dating
experience is about you and what makes you happy.
Have you tried online dating?
I'm 22! I'm actually posting this on my birthday. I've seen a lot of people do this kind of post around their birthday so I thought I'd try it too. It was actually quite hard to think of 22 things but I got there in the end. So here we go.
22 Things I've Learned in 22 Years
1. It's better to have a few good friends than 100 bad ones
Honestly, having fake or bad friends can be so damaging to your mental health. It's great to have lots of great friends but what's the point having lots of fake friends? If you have a few good friends, you will really appreciate them more.
2. You have to be your own cheerleader
Don't wait for people to support you and gas you up for your achievements, you should celebrate yourself!
3. I should stop calling myself dumb
I always say I'm dumb as a joke and that often provokes people to join in and say it to, when in reality I'm really not - I've nearly finished a degree.
4. Confidence is key but fake it 'til you make it
I've recently learned that confidence really is key. When you think of the most confident people, you wouldn't really try messing with them or putting them down. Although, it's hard to be confident, the more you try and act confident, the more it will come across to others that you are.
5. It isn't an edgy personality trait to like Lana Del Rey
My favourite artist is Lana Del Rey, don't know if you've heard of her? Haha 14 year old me thought I was so cool and different but really, you like what you like and it doesn't matter. It's not cool to try and be different.
6. I can't keep everything bottled up
I am someone who finds it really difficult to talk about trauma or how I'm feeling, I'll often make jokes out of things as a coping mechanism. Keeping it bottled up is the wrong way to deal with it because I'll often get overlooked. How will people know to be there for you if you don't let them know? I've found it's much more healthy to be open about how I feel.
7. Everyone is working at their own pace
The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to others when it comes to your life goals. Especially in your 20s when some people are married with kids, and some people are just starting to figure out what they want to do. It's all FINE there's no rush on anything.
8. You shouldn't sacrifice your feelings just to get on with people
I hate confrontation so a lot of the time when people have peed me off I haven't said anything, but if someone wrongs you, they aren't going to realise unless you tell them.
9. Age doesn't mean anything
Again, everyone is working at their own pace it doesn't really matter about your age. I am also saying this because I am a 22 year old with some greys coming through.
10. You don't owe anything to anyone
In the past I felt like I had to do things for people and felt bad for saying no to things, but now I'll pretty much only go out of my way for people who deserve it.
11. Like what you like
This relates to my Lana Del Rey point earlier. Unfortunately there are people that will make fun of you for what you like so you may as well openly enjoy whatever it is you enjoy, unapologetically.
12. Celebrate the small wins
13. You don't have to have a life plan
14. Putting yourself first isn't selfish
15. Appreciate little things
I feel like I don't always fully appreciate good times until they are a memory and the more things that turn into memories, the more I realise I need to appreciate those things while they happen and not just after.
16. If you can't love yourself, how in the hell can you love somebody else?
So true, thank you RuPaul.
17. Saying no to people is fine
Again, it's not selfish to set boundaries and to not do everything for people.
18. You won't always have awful taste in men
I used to always go for toxic males and now I have the nicest boyfriend ever and am winning at life, I just wish I didn't waste so much time.
19. There is a lot in the world that needs to change
As you get older, you realise that there are so many things that are wrong in the world and things you thought you knew seem to be untrue and that we need to make take active steps into spreading kindness and trying to make the world a better place.
20. You will probably feel 18 forever
Ever since turning 18, every year I feel like I haven't got any older and I think I will keep thinking I'm 18, at least for the near future anyway. I wonder if when I am 30, will I still feel like I'm 18?
21. Don't grow up too fast
When I was a teenager, all I wanted to do was be older but now, I am going to be an adult for the rest of my life. You are only young for a short amount of time so you may as well make the most out of it.
22. It will be harder to think of things for this post than what you thought
I struggled with finding 22 life lessons I've learnt, but I hope you enjoyed reading my list.
What's one thing you've learnt?
AD - This post features my monthly advertisers. If you are interested in advertising with me then please contact me or find out more on my advertise with me page.
I have really enjoyed sharing some of my favourite blogs with you each month, it's such a good way to interact with and discover new people.
Firstly, we have Life of Morag, a fabulous blog all about travel, politics, health and life in general. I recently discovered Morag on Twitter and I'm so glad that I did, she has such insightful posts that are written from the heart. Be sure to check out her blog!
Start by reading these posts
- That's Where my Demons Hide: Understanding Anxiety
- Reflecting on a Year of Lockdown and How Whatever You Feel is Valid
Check out these posts by Tash
Make sure you read these posts by Lynn
Check out these posts from Sophia
This is a guest post from Sophia Patel.
Blogging can be a
challenge, especially when you feel like you are always scraping for content.
After 6 years, at times I can find it a weekly struggle to come up with content
good enough. There are, however, several tools and habits to stop you from walking
down this path - one of them is establishing your niche. Here's how.
Get To Know
Your Audience
Just like your blog,
your audience will evolve. You will gain some, lose some, and others will stick
with you along the way. Base your key topics of interest on your analytics -
what are my most popular posts within a particular time frame? What is the
demographic of your audience? Both your topic and audience have to work
together, otherwise, you will have no one reading your posts. For example, a
parenting blog would not be 100% relevant if your audience were 10-15-year-old
boys, would it? Establish your demographic first.
What Are You
Interested In?
Over the last few years, I had had so much inner conflict with this. I started as a beauty blogger (reviewing the likes of Benefit's They're Real Mascara). Now, you will see 3 beauty posts per year. Why? Because over time your niche will naturally change. I have always considered it an evolution because the ideas you come up with at silly hours in the morning is usually a clue as to what you want to post. And let's be honest, content is always better when it comes from the heart. That's why over time I have ditched the beauty and moved into blogging tips for beginners and home & finance. When the content slowly evolves, some will stick around, and some will leave - that's just part of the process.
Don't Try and
Blog About Everything
This is a mistake I
learned pretty late on. Over time, it is so easy to add a little bit of
everything. Been on holiday? Blog about that. Done some clothes shopping? Blog
about that. Cooked yourself a nice meal? Blog about that. Just in this example,
your blogging niche has expanded to travel, fashion and food. But it begs the
question of which one is your direct niche. I have been calling myself a
lifestyle blogger for years, yet what does it mean? If new audiences want to
gain a snippet from your blog and see a dozen blog posts in different niches
they may be slightly confused. Nail down your focus to a few interlinking
topics (I have linked blogging tips and home niches by talking about creating a home office to blog), and perfect
them. Chances are, there will always be someone else blogging about the niche
you ditched so no need to worry.
If You Cannot
Write About It, It's Not The One
If you have a niche
that you love, but cannot ultimately write content about, then it is not the
one. Increased competition means that posts need to be near 1000 words to meet
the requirements of Google. If your niche cannot meet that easily, you will
still struggle for content. When thinking of a niche, without any resources -
make a list of as many blog posts as you can. When I moved to home and interior
blogging, I came up with 50 ideas, meaning I could effectively have enough
titles for the next 6 months (excluding guest posts and exclusive content).
Bounce blogging ideas off one another and aim to interlink many of your posts
(a series / two part post). Not only will this help to create content, but
strengthen your niche.
What Blogs Do
You Read?
Chances are, your
niche and the topics you are interested in are going to be linked. If you are
still struggling to pinpoint your niche, look at it from a different angle and
self-reflect. Think about yourself - your hobbies, career path, the books you
read and the blogs you follow. Create a Venn diagram if need be and see where
it all overlaps.
Then look at the
competition. If the market is oversaturated, it is going to be difficult to
stand odd / offer content that Google doesn't have the answer to. E.g. Blogging
tips is a very large field with lots of high DA Bloggers competing. As this is
something I want to pursue, my niche has shifted to beginner level. We strip
back all the technical terms and start from scratch. The key is to find a
balance where you are offering content that has not been done a million times
before, and something that you have enough experience to talk about. After all,
list posts and how-to's are the most popular.
Give It Time
This is the number one piece of advice. Blogging takes time, finding your niche takes time. If you find it straight away then you are the lucky one - but more than likely a new blogging niche is caused by a love for something else and a critique of current work. If you ever have that dilemma, then it is time to change, because otherwise it'll be shown in your content.
About the Author:
I am Sophia - a recent marketing graduate who is blogging full time in lockdown. I talk about all things blogging; as well as the progress on renovation of an 18th century home on a budget, to boost valuation for sale.
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