Boston woman goes on bad Hinge date. Then she excuses him so she can dine alone: ‘No better company than yourself’
A Boston woman has done the “unthinkable” when it comes to the dating scene. She asked her date to leave so she could be alone and actually enjoy the drinks and dinner.
A TikToker by the name of Celine Paone (@celinempaone) posted a time-saving video briefly discussing how she “excused” her Hinge date and had a solo-trip out after they didn’t click. The video on her TikTok page has since garnered over 57,000 views, with Paone saying, “No better company than yourself.”
It led many commenters to wonder how she managed to escape an awkward, bad date and have a nicer evening, especially when dates can be particularly pushy about finishing out an evening.
Lucky for them, Paone had an explanation, which she posted later in the week.
Is it normal to excuse a date to spend time alone?
Usually, women wait until after the first date to not text back, opting for a slow ghost method or a pre-written text.
There are also some general ways that people “leave” a date if they’re not feeling it.
R/datingoverthirty had some tips that can generally apply to all age groups. For one, ensuring that there’s good, casual conversation can make leaving a date more successful in the long run. But most people advocated sticking through the evening and having a “good time,” with no promise of a second outing.
As one commenter described, “I generally try to ensure it’s at least a good conversation so the evening feels, at worst, like a good evening that goes no further.”
People usually reserve leaving dates or physically separating for truly egregious occurrences. One user shared, “I had one that was so bad (was talked at/over and honestly said maybe 3 sentences AND she’d literally tried feeling me up on the way in the door and while I’m an affectionate dude, it was way too much too quickly and too unearned) I used the ‘call a lifeline’ protocol I’d set up with my son before the date.”
Other websites recommended this excuse, alongside some other strategies like “feeling sick” or having a friend crash the outing.
Otherwise, it does seem as though most people will “stick it out” to ensure that they have a relatively fine evening before heading home and not scheduling another afterward.
@celinempaone no better company than yourself ? #dating #fail #boston #storytime #creator ♬ ribs x for real this time mashup – Lorde Brasil
Paone’s strategy
Contrary to “sticking it out,” Paone offers a new method for leaving a bad date: honesty. She urged her audience to use a relatively light, chipper tone when asking a non-future partner, “ I can’t read us like, are we clicking?”
According to Paone, the playful, almost silly voice helps cushion the rejection, as the men she dates can be “fragile.” She reminded her viewers not to be mean, but instead to approach with light earnestness. She then said that those trying to escape a bad date could simply say they were going to finish one more drink and call it.
Discussing her recent dating experience, Paone said, “Last night, we were both finished with our drinks and I was starting this conversation, but I wanted to stay and enjoy my night, so I just said simply. ‘Yeah, I’m not feeling it. I feel like we can’t get our groove.’ I’m like, ‘it’s nothing against you.’ You really wanna make sure you reiterate [that] you’re just not vibing. And that’s fine.”
Additional tips and tricks to leave a bad date
She also mentioned that it’s good to offer to pay for half of the dinner. That way, there’s a chance to keep the table.
”I always say, ‘Do you want me to cover my half?’ Because if I am trying to leave midday, or I’m asking them to leave so that I can stay. I wanna be respectful and pay for my portion. So I’m always like, ‘I’m happy to cover my tab, but I’m just not really feeling it.’ They always appreciate honesty,” Paone told her viewers.
Many commenters thought this was a compelling and honest way to go about dating. It didn’t necessarily risk hurting many men’s feelings, but also didn’t waste time. Women even asked Paone for a “script” that could help them with future encounters.
However, others noted that Hinge dates can be scary and oftentimes upsetting. One woman went on a first date with a man who showed up to their preferred date spot visibly inebriated. He was later arrested for drinking and driving, according to her TikTok video.
According to some additional resources, Hinge has also become less of a “designed to be deleted” app and more of a perpetual stall in the dating scene. Women surveyed by Her Campus shared that they went on the app seeking “long-term relationships.” In contrast, many more men seek out casual partners on the platforms.
With that in mind, it appears harder for many people to sort through options and find compatible companions, leading to more and more bad first dates. That’s why it might be easier for single women to take a quick exit to save time, energy, and peace.
The Mary Sue has reached out to Paone via email for comment.
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