The second date and beyond.
Suggesting another date.
If you have enjoyed your time with someone on a first date, then a confident person would be happy to say they would like to meet again. It has been suggested to me that if we do this, we may seem too keen. I would argue, however, if we have the attitude 'if you like me then that's great and we can get to know each other and if you don’t like me, then I will move on to find someone who does, then we are showing confidence. Using the tennis analogy of keeping the balls in our court as a useful one. If we are waiting for someone to suggest another date then they have the ball in their court. If we ask them if they want another date, then the ball is in our court. And, we are not wasting our time waiting to find out what they think. If they like us then great, if they don't then we should spend our energy on finding someone who does.
It might be that you have suggested another date, and they don’t get back to you immediately. Remember...don’t mind read. We are all different and your date's time frame for responding might be unlike yours. Of course, it can also be the case that your date is not responding because they don’t want another date but find letting someone down uncomfortable. I would keep in mind here that it is a numbers game and don’t waste too much time waiting.
Alcohol and other substances.
It may be that you have not dated for a while, or you have met someone you really like and alcohol helps you to relax. That is fine for the first few dates but if we don't find out what someone is like during the day or without alcohol, how can we know if they are right for us?
Use subsequent dates to really test out your 'what am I looking for in a life partner.' Remember, it takes a long time to get to know what someone is really like and when we want something badly enough, we might only see what we want to see.
Another point I would make here is also to keep in mind, someone might not be perfect or not what we thought we would want but if we find we enjoy someone's company, don't be too hasty to end something.
Top dating tips: The Second date and beyond.
If you have enjoyed your first date, it is important to find out if they feel the same. Suggesting another meeting shows confidence, not neediness. If they don’t want another date, fine. If you do meet again, remember to find out if they will fit with you. Being attracted to someone physically is only one part of the puzzle. And try not to dismiss people you are not immediately attracted to. They may well grow on you.