This is how many people your age get nervous before a first date
When a first date starts to feel like a job interview, it can seem as if everyone else has better questions, a steadier voice and more confidence.
By Maria Lee·
In 2015, 77% of 18-29-year-olds felt nervous about a first date, versus 53% of adults 65+. YouGov’s social-anxiety poll put the overall adult figure at 69%. But the under-30 number lands differently when the date feels like a live conversation test: you ask, answer and hope the words keep coming.
First-date nerves were common across adulthood
The YouGov poll asked about “nervous social situations” from July 30 to August 2, 2015. The table for going on a first date had an unweighted N of 983, and the full poll covered 1,246 U.S. adults.
The first-date result was not a tiny edge case. YouGov also said 63% of adults were very or somewhat nervous about asking someone out, while three-quarters said they felt that way about giving a speech to a large group. Dating sat between those two speaking-pressure moments.
When silence makes a date feel like an on-the-spot answer
A first date is not a speech, but it can feel like one in miniature. There is a listener, a pause, a question and a voice you suddenly monitor. If you tend to replay what you said afterward, overthinking social interactions can make ordinary small talk feel higher stakes than it looks.
The YouGov categories make that link clear without stretching the data. A speech to a large group drew nervousness from three-quarters of adults. A first date drew 69%. Asking someone out drew 63%. Each one turns talking into a moment where you can feel judged.
Adults under 30 were not the only tense group
The age pattern was uneven. Adults ages 18-29 had the highest combined nervous figure at 77%. Adults ages 30-44 were at 69%, matching the total. Adults ages 45-64 were at 73%, which was higher than the 30-44 group.
Take someone at the edge of the 18-29 bracket and someone in the 30-44 bracket walking into similar dates. The closest YouGov brackets put the younger adult in a group where 77% were very or somewhat nervous, while the next bracket was at 69%. Both reactions were common, but the younger adult’s benchmark was higher.
Why does the oldest group stand apart?
The biggest break in the YouGov table came at 65+. That group’s combined nervous figure was 53%, far below 77% for 18-29s and below 73% for 45-64s. The poll did not say why, so the safe reading is the numeric one: the oldest adults reported less first-date nervousness.
The same table showed the parts behind the combined figures. Among 18-29s, 44% were very nervous and 33% were somewhat nervous. Among adults 65+, 17% were very nervous and 36% were somewhat nervous. The sharpest gap was in the very-nervous share.
Every age group in the first-date question
The full age breakdown shows why a nervous 20-something is not unusual, and why a calm older date may not be a fair comparison. The 18-29, 30-44 and 45-64 groups all had combined nervousness near or above the overall 69% figure.
| Group | Very or somewhat nervous |
|---|---|
| All U.S. adults | 69% |
| Ages 18-29 | 77% |
| Ages 30-44 | 69% |
| Ages 45-64 | 73% |
| Ages 65+ | 53% |
Share of U.S. adults who were very or somewhat nervous about going on a first date
What this means for you
If you are under 30 and feel tense before a first date, YouGov’s benchmark puts you with most people your age, not outside the norm. Even in the 30-44 group, 69% were very or somewhat nervous. The feeling is common enough that you do not need to treat it as proof you will be bad at conversation.
Before the date, prepare less like an interview and more like a person who only needs the next sentence. Keep simple questions ready, and choose a short story you can tell without performing. If the silence comes, name something ordinary, ask a follow-up and let your voice slow down.
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