Ouchie But Thanks?
First dates are stressful enough without having to carry the entire conversation. That’s exactly what this girl had to do when her date decided to be painfully honest about her intelligence. He told her, point-blank, that he wasn’t expecting someone so “book smart” and found her intimidating. Not exactly the compliment she was hoping for. Instead of being impressed, he made her feel self-conscious and awkward before the appetizers even arrived.
While she powered through the evening, it was hard to ignore the backhanded comment. It might have been meant as a compliment, but it came off as dismissive and condescending. A better approach would have been to express admiration rather than discomfort. Being smart should never be treated like a flaw. At least she got a story out of it — one that likely makes for good laughs now, even if it wasn’t funny at the time.
