The Viral Date Stacking Trend Is The Organized Way To Hack Your Love Life
Going on dates is something we all hate doing, but if you want to meet someone, you're going to have to leave your home at some point. As much as we wish the love of our life would magically appear on our porch with flowers, that really only happens in the movies. First dates are typically awkward and uncomfortable, especially when you and the person don't vibe. You have to find ways to fill the silence until one of you makes an excuse to leave. Now, you're still alone, and you have to do the same thing all over again with someone else next week ... or do you?
Enter date stacking, the viral trend designed to help you get the most out of one evening. It's new to the dating scene, so we're here to give you all the tips and tricks you need to find your perfect match. Honestly, it's so genius, we're mad we hadn't thought of it first.
Back-to-back dates
Essentially, date stacking is similar to speed dating, but with a twist. Instead of quickly moving from person to person in a matter of minutes, you go on a date as you normally would, but you also have other dates lined up that exact same day or night. The trend went viral after a video from TikTok user @paretay was shared on Twitter, in which she narrates her evening of three dates in Brooklyn.
The process sounds simple, but there are things you need to consider if you're going to take date stacking for a spin. First and foremost, you want to select your date locations near each other so you're on time to the next one. Remember, being late makes a bad first impression.
However, the worst thing you can do is plan your dates all at the exact same location. One thing to be wary of with date stacking is your second date arriving early and catching you on your date with the first person (yikes). If you have no other location option, make sure you schedule your dates far enough apart that the first person doesn't run into the second one on the way out.
Let your date know you have other plans
So, you have all of your dates scheduled, but what happens when it's time to leave one and go to the next? You can't just get up in the middle of dinner and walk out, but you can't leave your next date waiting either. The key is alerting your date that you have other plans ahead of time. You don't have to give any details about what you're doing or where you're going; simply tell the person you have to be done by a certain time because you have prior obligations.
With that said, try to schedule your last date no later than 8:00 p.m. Telling your afternoon date you have plans later on in the evening is totally fine, but it seems kind of sketchy when you have to dip out on your dinner date because you're meeting up with someone at 11:00 at night. If your dinner date turns into a late-night affair ... that's a different story.
Keep your dates organized
Whether it's your first time attempting to date stack, or you've been at it for a while, you must absolutely keep a log of your dates to keep yourself organized. Even if you think you have a pretty good memory, once the number of dates starts going up, it's going to be a lot more difficult to keep track of who you're meeting at what time and place. You could go all out and add each date to Google calendar, but if you want to keep things simple, just use your notes app.
This is a really important part of date stacking, and you don't want to skimp out on paying attention to detail. The last thing you want to do is show up to the wrong place at the wrong time, or completely mix up your date's name when you finally meet them. When that happens, it's time to throw in the towel.
Don't wear yourself out
While date stacking is fun and allows you to meet more people, it's important to check in with yourself every now and then to see how you're feeling. Are you overwhelmed or exhausted? Do you feel like your battery is drained? If stacking up multiple dates on a regular basis is becoming too difficult, take a break! No one says you have to go on 23 dates in two weeks. When you start to get burned out, going on dates starts to feel like more of a chore than anything else.
Psychology Today says over-dating can take a significant toll on your mental health because of the power romantic relationships has over your sense of self. If you notice lowered self-esteem or an increase in anxiety or depression, consider pumping the breaks on dating, or at least decrease the number of dates you're going on until you feel like you can start taking on more than one.