Woman in her 30s says she’s desperate to find someone. But one date’s ‘homework’ request became a dealbreaker

A woman in her 30s recently turned down a second date after a series of strange requests and confusing stories left her feeling uneasy. She shared her experience on Reddit in r/AmIOverreacting, noting that while she is currently looking for a partner, this man’s behavior apparently made her realize they were likely not a good match.

The date reportedly started on a rough note when they arrived at a sports bar and had to wait over an hour and a half. Despite her suggestion to go elsewhere, she says the man insisted they stay and wait for a table. According to the woman, she found this baffling, as she would have left immediately under the same circumstances.

Things appeared to go downhill from there as the man began discussing plans for a second date. He reportedly proposed a Stranger Things-themed escape room, which seemed fine on the surface. However, she claims he told her he would assign her “homework” before they met again.

He apparently wanted her to binge Netflix before they could meet again

According to her post, he wanted her to subscribe to Netflix and watch the entire first season of the show to prepare for the theme. The woman later described the homework request as a major dealbreaker, as it seemed to set expectations before she had even agreed to a second date.

To make matters worse, he reportedly suggested visiting an upscale restaurant beforehand. She reportedly described the place as being one step above Chipotle, noting that staff make guacamole at the table. The woman reportedly was not thrilled, especially since the guacamole apparently cost $12.

Beyond planning the second date, she says she noticed several inconsistencies in his stories that raised concerns. According to her, his Hinge profile listed him as being from Ontario, attending Berkeley and working in tech. She assumed he meant Ontario in Canada or California, and that he attended a prestigious university.

His eagerness to plan the next outing may have come on too strong, though singles do want clear signals. Data from Hinge shows that nearly half of daters (49%) have held back from messaging after a great first date for fear of coming on too strong. The app also found that 75% of its users expect a follow-up message the same day or the next. 

However, she claims she later learned he was from a small town in New York State, attended Berkeley College, and works in HVAC tech. The confusion reportedly deepened when he told her his parents were doctors, then mentioned three hours later that they never attended college and instead own a takeout restaurant.

She viewed these discrepancies as major red flags rather than simple misunderstandings. These moments reportedly made her realize she was already dreading sitting through a second date with him.

Many Reddit users appeared to agree with her decision to skip a second date. One commenter argued that his shifting claims were “bold-faced lies” rather than inconsistencies, while another questioned, “Who waits à hour and a half for a table at à sports bar? That’s ridiculous. I would’ve left right there.” A third advised, “Don’t date while desperate.”