If you’re like many people, part of the beauty of a really good hookup is the spontaneity involved. The electricity that passes between two people instantly attracted to one another is unlike anything else, which goes double for the excitement you feel when you’re taking them to bed not long afterward.
But don’t let your love for living in the moment fool you into believing that planning ahead can’t do anything to enhance your experience. A little prep work can make any potential hookups that much sweeter, especially if you’re hooking up with someone for the first time. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
1. Ensure you’ll have your privacy
Although there’s nothing wrong with the occasional quick and dirty hookup in public or in an empty room at a party, there’s really something to be said for privacy. When you’ve got your privacy, you can take your time, bring your A-game to the table, and rock your partner’s world.
So if you think there’s a chance you might hook up some night, it’s worth planning ahead in this regard, so you have options. Consider whether your housemates will be home. And have a backup plan just in case Plan A doesn’t work out.
2. Keep cleanliness supplies with you at all times
The last thing you want to be worrying about when you’re about to hook up with someone smoking hot is how you smell or whether or not you’re as clean as you’d like to be. But the very nature of hookups means you’re not usually able to hop in the shower for a quick scrub-down before getting horizontal.
Get in the habit of keeping some handy travel-sized supplies on you (in your bag, glove compartment, etc.) at all times, just in case. Great examples include mouthwash, moist body wipes, and deodorant. You’ll be kissing fresh and feel more confident.
3. Bring your own protection
A smart hookup enthusiast understands that protection is everyone’s responsibility and is always prepared for action – especially if they love seizing unexpected opportunities that present themselves at a moment’s notice. So never simply assume that the other person will take care of the protection.
Keep yourself well-stoked on condoms, lube, and whatever else you like to use to always stay safe. Yes, keep an ample supply at home. But also keep some stocked in your glove compartment, in any bags you carry around with you, and so forth. If you love hooking up, protection should always be within easy reach.
4. Know what you do and don’t want from the experience
Being physically prepared for your next hookup is only part of being ready for action well in advance. It’s just as important to be emotionally prepared for your own sake and your potential partner’s. In other words, you need to know what – if anything – you’re open to as a result of a hookup.
If you hit it off with the person, are you open to hooking up again in the future, or are you strictly interested in a one-night encounter? How about the possibility of a relationship? Are you open to that, or are you purely interested in casual dating for now? It’s essential to know the answers to questions like these in advance.
5. Communicate your intentions
Hookup culture is definitely a thing these days, not to mention a perfectly viable choice to make about one’s love life. That said, there’s no longer any call to mislead anyone just to get laid. It’s much cooler to be honest and upfront with the person before you hop into bed together, so you both know what you’re getting into.
While you don’t necessarily need to sit a potential hookup partner down for an ultra-serious conversation before getting it on, you do need to make them aware of your intentions. If you’re strictly interested in a one-time hookup and nothing else, find a breezy, no-pressure way to prepare the person for that before you start talking about going home together.
6. Have an after plan
Making sure you’re ready for the hookup itself is one thing. But you also want to have some idea of what the plan is for after you’re done. Do you have commitments for the next day that you need to keep in mind? Are you open to spending the night together or not? And if you do spend the night together, how do you feel about having breakfast together the following day?
Always have an idea of what you plan to do next after the sex is over. And if it’s imperative that you cut the evening short the minute you’re done, consider going to their place so you can leave under your own power without seeming rude. You’ll be glad you did.
