1. The Surprise Date: Save the surprises for later in the dating phase. It's great to be spontaneous, but when you're first getting to know someone it's nice to have a certain comfort level in place. It's important to find out some key things about your date early on to avoid awkward moments - for instance you wouldn't want to take a vegetarian to steakhouse, or someone who's afraid of scary movies to a horror film.
2. Brushing Off A Compliment: Many of us find it hard to accept a compliment, and end up brushing it off and putting ourselves down to circumvent what we feel is an awkward moment. Don't put yourself down, just say thank you.
3. Too Much Too Soon: Avoid sensitive subjects for the first little while. It's not necessary to bring up marriage and children or politics and religion right off the bat; these subjects will come up naturally so there's no need to force them. Stay away from off-colour jokes and humour, and refrain from making sexual references.
4. Being Unprepared: It's important to be able to carry on an educated conversation. Sometimes we get wrapped up in our own lives and don't pay attention to what's going on in the world - but this is important stuff that many people like to talk about. If you're apprehensive about your knowledge of current events, you may want to brush up with a newspaper before your date.
5. Being Judgmental: Be open to who your date is on the inside. If you are truly looking for that special someone, it involves listening and being genuinely interested in what they have to say.