So you've summonsed the courage to ask the boy/girl of your dreams out on a date. And, believe it or not, they said yes, they would love to do something with you. Of course it might of helped matters if you already had a plan. But you were probably obsessing as to whether they'd say yes, to have given the next phase any thought. One thing we will say, and that is that we don't recommend taking part in an escape room game on the first date. As it could very quickly turn into your last!
The media is always claiming that in our age of technology, all romance is dead. But this isn't true. There are a million and one ways to be romantic. But going to an escape room is probably up there with revealing that you like to buy your shoes in Walmart or watch elephants having sex at the zoo....it's a dead certain killer for all romantic feelings. There are a lot of reasons NOT to choose an escape room for your first kiss.
Escape Rooms Aren’t Romantic
Get yourself a box at the Opera to see Mozart's Don Giovanni. Go to the Ballet for La Fille Mal Gardee by Jean Dauberval, and make your way down to the performers bar during the interval. Do something culturally significant. Book a table for two on a Friday night at Dorsia (thanks Patrick!). Hire a sports car, put the roof down and drive through Paris in the night with the cool breeze blowing through your hair, as Chet Baker plays cool jazz over the car stereo. It's not difficult. But just don't go to an escape room. There's no romance there. Only blood, sweat and tears. There is nothing romantic built into either the games design or game-play. You will not fall in love with each other as you both scrabble for clues as the clock mercilessly counts down your time together.
For starters, it's all the mode to have many games center around the universal theme of horror. And even games that don't explicitly feature mad doctors and zombie infestations will have the odd jump scare. However you look at it, dealing with a serial killer who's stalking you in the disused subway, is not the bright and shining path to meaningful relationship. Getting to know one another is one thing. But knowing someone after they peed their pants maybe slightly more intimate than you bargained for and isn't the best way to move the relationship forwards.
The Struggle is Real
On the whole escape rooms are really designed for more than just two people. There are any number of clues and puzzles that need solving, that for a couple, it may prove too harder a task within the allotted time. And that's if you already have escape room experience. For those totally green behind the ears, it's a big enough struggle with a team, let alone with just one other person. The very nature of the escape room premise relies on team work and quick and clear communication. That's why most escape rooms will not put strangers together. The game play comes with it's own unique challengers and it's all a steep learning curve. There are some things in a relationship which should only be revealed gently. For example, some of the puzzles might break your head. But nothing will suck the romance out of a relationship faster than watching someone struggling with something so logical that even your cat or goldfish could solve it. That's why we suggest sticking to tried and tested romantic dinners and dates.
Ways to Kill the Mood
It's super important that you enjoy a strong rapport with your escape room team. That means having frank and honest exchanges. You're all racing against the same clock. So holding back information or being unable to express yourself because you're the newbie, can prove fatal for the whole group's efforts. Believe us, nobody wants to be that guy...the one who failed the team. That could be your date! Or even worse, it could be you! After all, you barely know one another, and suddenly you're both flung head first into a new and confusing situation, which also happens to be a race against time. It might not be the best scenario in which to try and impress someone. In fact there's a good chance you might end up looking more of a fool. Then, thanks to your retarded efforts, you'll be talking with them awkwardly after the event. And then you'll see the light they once had for you, gradually go out in their eyes. All is lost if they become your BBF. Or they unfriend you in social media because you were little too intense during the escape room game-play.
When Is The Right Time
It's always best to work on the relationship first before doing anything competitive. Before piling into an escape room game, we suggest that you get to know each other over Chinese checkers or a game of poker. Keep things light. You'll need to see the lay of the land before embarking on any crusades. You also need to nurture emotions and feelings with patience and care. Not beat them to death with a blunt stick! To be liked you need to be likable. And to be loved you need to be lovable. So try and refrain from doing anything that'll detract from those noble qualities. And that includes escape rooms!
