One of the most important things to remember when on a first date is to focus on things that will keep the mood light and casual. Both you and your date are probably nervous and wishing, at least in some part of your mind, that you were somewhere else. In order to get past that nervous tension, you have to go out of your way to make both yourself and your date feel at ease. This means avoiding (at all costs) any topics that could create even more tension, or darken the mood. While you may be sick to death of bland first date conversation, the solution to that isn't to bring up your controversial opinions of late term abortions, or political assassins.

Beyond that, you'll want to make sure you keep the pace nice and slow. While questions are fine, it's not okay to interrogate someone, which is a mistake many, many daters make. No one wants to feel like you came prepared with a list of questions and the answer to said questions will determine the status of your second date. Just keep the tone causal and friendly and ask your questions as they come up naturally in the conversation.

Another mistake a lot of first daters make is to leave their smiles at home. Don't do that. A smile can go a long way, when you have little to say about anything else. It shows that you are having a good time, that you are a nice person, and that you are happy to be where you're at (even if none of the three are true).

Finally, you'll want to keep a close eye on your body language. Body language can say a lot about your inner thoughts and feelings that you may not want known. For instance, a lot of uncomfortable people have a tendency to fold their arms across their chest. This is as good as putting up a brick wall between you and your date. Even if you don't intend it that way, it's going to come across that way, so leave your arms relaxed and don't cross them.

Breaking the ice on the first date is simply a matter of finding the right tone and level of conversation with which both of you are comfortable. Don't try and determine if your date is worth a long term relationship in the first five minutes. Relax, enjoy the dinner or movie, and take your time. If something clicks between you, then that's a good thing. If it doesn't, you still got to go out and enjoy yourselves. Don't put too much pressure on the whole affair, and you'll be more likely to enjoy each other's company, and enjoy the process of dating in the first place.