In a few weeks or so, I'll be going out on a "First date" for the first time in a few years. This isn't a thread about getting dating advice from the interwebs, but rather, what do you all do to get ready for events like this or Job Interviews, or other similar activities? Is there a certain shirt or outfit you plan out days in advance, or just slap something together a few hours before? How do you overcome the awkwardness of the first few minutes? What is correct amount of information should one learn about the person/company/etc they're going to be interacting with beforehand?

Just be yourself. Remember interesting things about you to share.

It's a date. Just act as you normally would and don't overthink stuff to much. Be clean, smell good, dress properly. Nobody wants to date a slob.

As for me... I become a nerve wreck and fail to maintain any type of plan that I might've thought up earlier. Social anxiety with caffeine dependency is a great combination. You should try it.

Breathe ?.? , Think positive \ ?▽? / , Be myself. (≧?≦) That's really all there is to it for me.

Any advice I can give would probably be what Moog-kun posted. Smell good, Dress nice and be honest.

As far as cloths go I have good cloths and everyday cloths. As far as you go, be comfortable but classy. Also, shave, shower, and smell nice.

I become stoic and talk only when I need to, to hide my nervousness which might make me say something stupid. It usually takes about a half an hour to an hour to get me out of that state, after that I feel much more comfortable with "being myself". I'm going to be acting nervous for a while no matter what, stoicism is the most salvageable behavior I can go with when I'm nervous.

Track pants, yo. That's all that matters. My choice of upper body clothing is secondary and unimportant.

I haven't been on a first date since June 24, 2006. I've been single for 6 months now. I'm not here to give advice, but I'll be following this thread a bit perhaps.

haven't gone on a date in a year and a half. best thing i can say is to not have a "plan" of how you want things to go or how you should act to be most impressive. it will never go as you expect it and you just end up looking like a dork. Just have a conversation.

Ah, but see, it has worked for me every single time. Not the planning, but the "ending up looking like a dork." The girls have thought it was cute, and I like silly girls as well

I think I try to be "myself" even more so than around the general public, because I'd rather they know everything that might be weird about me sooner than later. It hasn't scared anyone off.... yet.

well they probably think its cute because there is something else about you they like. just being a dork and having no redeeming qualities does not equate to cuteness, unless the girl/boy is one of the literally tens of people who are into that.

what works best for me is keeping a dialog going long enough that people will set aside petty turn offs.

For stuff like that I act calm on the outside, but I'm usually nervous as all Hell on the inside.

Everything else the people above mentioned too: bathe, wear deodorant (who doesn't do that anyway?) and always, always be yourself. Lying and making up impressive things about yourself can bite you in the ass.

As for clothes, I just wear what I normally do: jeans, worn sneakers, and a plain T-shirt. To be a little showy, sometimes I'll go out with my dad's old leather jacket. That way I'm dressed to kill.

Prim and proper, with jewelry and fitting clothing. Standing up straight as a board, with combed hair and clean teeth. Clean skin too.

every one always says to be themselves, i'd love to know who you should be when you don't know who you are.

I'll tell you what you'd be if you don't know: screwed.

Dress nice but not too nice, stay cool and casual.

As for what to do, don't plan for anything, be unpredictable.

Be yourself, unless you're a jerk, in which case you should be somebody else. I can't really say who, though.