I’m not the kind of person who falls in love at first sight. And this time was no different. After spending four hours together at Thử Vị Yêu, my first impression of him was simply: “Hmm, he’s alright.” I didn’t dislike him, but I didn’t like him either. There was definitely no “Wow, this is the one. I really like him” feeling. If that real-life dating experience had ended with each of us simply going home, we probably would never have seen each other again.
But as it happened, after Thử Vị Yêu, we ended up having a mutual friend group from the event. Everyone started inviting each other to hang out on weekends. Through those group outings, we happened to sit next to each other more often, and that gave me the chance to get to know him better. Sometimes, one first meeting is simply the starting point for two people to have more opportunities to get to know each other. It’s not always enough to decide whether someone is actually right for you.
Real-Life Dating Sometimes Takes More Than One Meeting
He wasn’t as cold or boring as I initially thought. He was quiet because we simply hadn’t touched on the topics he was interested in yet. Once we did, I realized he was actually quite funny and someone who paid a lot of attention to small details.
Once, our group went out for dinner, but I was working overtime and arrived late. As soon as I got there, he pointed to the seat next to him and said, “There’s a spot here.” It was such a small gesture, but I started noticing the way he cared about the people around him.
Then one day, I casually mentioned that I was suddenly craving Hanoi-style cốm xào. A few days later, he messaged me privately saying he was on a business trip and asked if I still wanted some so he could bring it back for me.
At that point, it would have been pretty impossible not to fall for him.
We gradually started meeting one-on-one more often instead of always hanging out with the group. And five days ago, he asked me to be his girlfriend.
It Wasn’t Love at First Sight, But Love After Many Meetings
We didn’t have love at first sight. There was no instant, overwhelming attraction either. It was simply that after meeting each other again and again in real life, we had more time to understand each other.
Every time we met, I discovered something new about him. I learned what he liked, how he thought, how he cared for other people, and all the little things that I probably would never have noticed if we had only looked at each other’s profiles or talked through messages.
And somewhere along the way, through getting to know each other, we realized: “Wait… I think I actually like this person.”
That’s also what makes real-life dating different. A profile can tell you what someone looks like. A few conversations can tell you how they communicate. But sometimes, you have to actually meet someone, sit next to them, and observe how they are in person to understand what it really feels like to be around them.
If You Don’t Feel a Spark the First Time, Don’t Be Too Quick to Walk Away
So if you’re about to join Thử Vị Yêu, I hope you won’t feel disappointed if you don’t immediately feel a spark with anyone the first time you meet.
One meeting is enough to know who someone is, but it may not be enough to know who they could become in your life.
They don’t have any major red flags? Give each other a little more time.
You don’t necessarily have to like someone right away to start getting to know them. Sometimes, the right person isn’t the one who makes you go “wow” immediately. They’re the person you discover more about every time you meet them.
And who knows? The person you thought you’d never see again after one dating experience might just become the person you look forward to seeing every weekend.
Thử Vị Yêu and How Clique83 Creates Opportunities for Singles to Meet in Real Life
At Clique83, we believe that finding a partner doesn’t always have to start with a swipe or a weeks-long conversation on a dating app. Sometimes, all you need is an opportunity to actually meet someone in real life.
Thử Vị Yêu was created to give singles the chance to meet, talk, and get to know each other through a real dating experience. You may not know whether someone is your “type” the moment you meet them. But at the very least, you get the chance to find out who they really are before deciding whether you want to see them again.
Because when it comes to finding the right person, not every connection has to begin with a spark. Some people need one more meeting. Some need one more conversation. And some love stories only begin after two people happen to meet enough times to finally realize: “Wait… I think I actually like this person.”