You’re on a date, everything is going great, but then the conversation just stops and an awkward silence ensues. One of you sheepishly says: “So, anyway…” but you’re just kind of stuck and a painful silence lingers in the air.

You may get inundated with the following questions, either on the date or after:

“Should I have said something different?”

“I wonder what he thought about the story I told.”

“I have to keep talking he’s being so quiet this is horrible.”

“What if I made him uncomfortable when I said I don’t like XYZ?”

“What if I scared him away because of that awkward pause?”

“Wait, is it bad if I text him? Was I boring? Did he think I was funny and exciting?”

“Oh man, this is not good. This conversation is actually painfully boring and impossible to continue.”

This is a common experience. Awkward silences can be brutal. We’ve all dealt with an anxiety-inducing awkward silence at one point in our lives. Even worse, they seem to happen more with people we just meet and more so with someone we want to make a good impression on.

MORE:  225 Amazing Questions to Ask a Guy

Don’t worry… I’m giving you specific strategies you can use so that you never have to worry about running out of things to say on a date.

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The art of conversation seems to be mostly lost these days, but that doesn’t mean it has lost any importance! Knowing how to start and carry a conversation is something that will help you in all areas of your life.

When you are able to have conversations and start off strong, you capture a person’s interest. Whether it’s a potential lover, friend, potential employer, or random stranger off the street, your first impression will always matter,

MORE: Amazing Questions to Ask a Guy 

Having a great conversation these days is becoming increasingly rare. Blame Tinder, blame social media, blame whatever you want to blame—this is our reality. But it gives you an opportunity to stand out from the crowd when you can be truly “present” in a conversation. That’s the only way to win people over and really capture their interest and intrigue.

So let’s talk about the best ways to start a conversation.

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“Would You Rather” is a game that never gets old. Whether on a date to get to know someone, or in a long car ride to pass the time, it’s fun, often hilarious, thought-provoking, and always a good time.

It can be used in pretty much any situation and always create an “opening” for someone to overshare and reveal humiliating, hilarious, and shocking details about who they are.

This game, as crazy and silly as it might sound, can be a fun way to get people talking. You can use these questions in a group situation, when you’re alone with someone, or even via text!

MORE: Amazing Questions to Ask a Guy – The Only List You Need

Tip: always ask a follow up if someone reveals something particularly interesting. This sets you up to learn more about them. By asking something you are genuinely interested in you also set yourself up to win because you are more likely to have a genuine connection and conversation!

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So you want to play Truth or Dare to spice things up and have a little fun. Raw honesty makes people feel stimulated and intrigued in our boring world full of half-truths and politically correct answers to emotionally charged questions.

It’s fun being able to see otherwise composed people embarrassed and open.

Playing truth or dare isn’t only for high schoolers… it can be a fun game no matter what age you are and no matter what situation you’re in!

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Truth or dare is a great way to bond with your friends, and create tons of memories and bellyache-inducing laughter. It’s not just for high-school students, this game can be a blast at any age.

While it’s meant to be a little wild and crazy, it’s not meant to land people in the hospital or in jail, so just keep that in mind when playing the game! But still, you don’t want the game to be a snooze fest. To help you mix it up, whether you’re playing with friends, with a guy you like, with a group of people at a party, and so on, we’ve created the ultimate list of dares that are fun, wild, and totally legal!

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Communication is key in a relationship. And nothing keeps a bond eternally strong like communicating how much you love your partner. Saying “I love you” is an obvious way to go, but that can get flat and stale over time, especially if it just becomes a part of your routine and “I love you” is just another way of saying hi and bye.

Saying “I love you” isn’t the only way to communicate that you love someone. And sometimes, stepping outside of convention and thinking of something new conveys even more love, appreciation, and positive regard.

Making a point to consistently affirm your love and affection for your partner is what will keep your relationship strong and happy. It’s all too easy to just settle into complacency in a relationship, but that’s what causes relationships to wither and die. You need to look at your relationship almost like a plant, it needs to be watered and tended to in order to grow and thrive. The way to nourish your relationship is to express your love and admiration. (Make sure to also read this article on questions to ask a guy to reach a whole new level of depth and connection in your relationship.)

And with that, let’s look at 35 beautifully romantic and unique ways to say ‘I love you.” You can go old school and write them as a note, be new age and text them, or say them out loud while looking your partner in the eye. No matter what, these are guaranteed to convey your deep and profound love.

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So you want to play “Never Have I Ever” and feel included in the somewhat silly but entertaining  game.

Never Have I Ever is a good icebreaker if you’ve just met someone and want to get to know them better, and a fun way to get even closer to someone you already know. You can find out all sorts of wild, embarrassing stories that might shock you (for example, your straight-laced best friend might have had a wild past snorting drugs on top of a cop car. OK, not literally, but you know what I mean…)

MORE: Amazing Questions to Ask a Guy You Like

The point of “Never Have I Ever” is to discover information you wouldn’t have otherwise known, whether it’s interesting facts or surprising stories.

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“The hottest love has the coldest end.” -Socrates.

Breakups are never easy. In fact, knowing you might never hold the person you love again is one of the hardest things a person can do.

After a breakup, you might feel helpless and scared he’s gone forever. You may have realized you made a big mistake or wish you’d done things differently and could rewind the clock to have another chance with him.

As for him? His post-breakup behavior might be confusing. For example, on the one hand, he texts and calls you telling you how much he misses you… and on the other hand, he ignores you and purposefully posts pictures of himself with another woman on social media knowing you will see it. Or he blocks you on Facebook and then sends you an emotional text while he’s drunk one night.

You might ask yourself: “Does he still have feelings for me or not? I just want to know!”

I am going to give you the “hidden” signs that your ex does still have feelings for you.

In addition to giving you the signs, I’m going to give you tips underneath each sign so that you can have the best chance of getting him back (if this is what you want).

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A goodnight text is different than a regular text. There is something extra special about hearing from the person you care about at the end of a long day, as you’re starting to wind down and make your way into bed. It gives you one final smile for the day and a wave of tingly butterflies.

Men aren’t immune to the power of a goodnight text, it has the same dizzying effect on them as it does on us ladies.

I’m going to be honest with you, and I don’t mean to brag, but I’m something of a texting master. I have the do’s and don’ts of texting down pat and always get an eager response. (And if a guy doesn’t text back, here’s why.)

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