A few years ago, I had a sober first date that was just downright awkward. We met up on a street corner, and he took me shopping — for a men's cologne. We got vegan food and never saw each other again. Now look, I'm not a big drinker whatsoever. But having a cocktail in my hand (preferably a tequila one) takes the stress out of trying to decide whether or not the guy I met 20 minutes prior is partner material. Not to mention, it helps sort out my butterflies, takes the edge off — you get it. But I know I've got to be open to no-drink dates, too. So I finally gave into one of those guys that asks to meet on a Sunday. I was nervous, of course. I never know what to wear on a day date. The lighting is different. Head-to-toe black (my go-to) can feel a bit morbid to some men. Do I wear sneakers? Mini-heels? I still haven't quite mastered it, and I work in fashion. But I manned up and met a guy that actually lived in my hood at a trendy coffee shop around the block. I didn't feel as comfortable as I would have had I sipped on a glass of vino beforehand, that's for sure, but 10 minutes in I realized it wasn't as bad as I had made it out to be in my head. We took our second round of coffees to go and walked around — still sans alcohol. I couldn't believe it. I was on a day date, and I was into it. Looking back, there was something refreshing about being totally on my A-game, especially for someone completely type-A, like me. And of course, remembering everything.