Striking up conversation with a perfect stranger while having not-so-secret hope that they end up being the love of your life is sometimes awkward.

It’s difficult to strike a balance of genuine conversation while still fishing for specific intel on how compatible you are, and it leaves a lot of us with a rolodex of obvious, cliché questions.

Plus, they're backed by professionals who know what they're talking about. It promotes a good back-and-forth between the two of you.

Meet the experts: Sarah Jones is a relationship expert, and founder and CEO of coaching website Introverted Alpha, and Sameera Sullivan is the CEO of Lasting Connections, an elite matchmaking service. "This is a great ice-breaker because it's a little mischievous and flirtatious," Jones says.

Here’s a good rule to follow: If the answer to your question requires a noun, you likely aren’t going to get too much info from a person.

Everyone has a past, and no one has control over where they’re born and raised.

Conversation starters can save a date from dragging! Avoid yes/no questions, because these are conversation stoppers. If you find yourself in a rut, let her know how you feel. Instead, try to say something funny about your situation.

These questions are key primers, the ones to ask after you’ve said hello, and settled in somewhere comfortable. By pushing past the obvious questions you think are “safe,” you get the chance to connect a little quicker and deeper than the average first date meet up.Below are some hot tips and tweaks for your standard conversation topics to help you get to know one another better.Sure, you might discover some similarities and learning a person’s origin might explain a few things about his/her personality, but asking someone where they want to be in the future gives you insight into their hopes, dreams and passions.It also may tell you whether or not you guys Pick something YOU love doing, and see where they stand on it.Sure, they’re kind of snoozy, but they’ll set the tone for your date, and give you immediate things to talk about: “ 1. What do you do, and how long have you been doing it? "It's a sign you'd like to know her beyond surface level, while still giving her the freedom to reveal what she wants to share—and doesn't." This question lets you get a sense of what she feels strongly about and whether she's spirited and heartfelt.It's also the perfect way to gauge whether her level of passion is compatible with yours, Jones says. Each of these explanations reveals something about her character.This conversation starter can bring a light, playful, untethered feeling into your mix of questions, Jones says.Picture this scene: You’ve scored a first date with an attractive person.So much of the advice from so-called dating “experts” encourages you to start off talking about politics or what you've done that day and other topics that are either huge hot buttons or totally boring.If there's one thing that can ruin a first date and ensure a woman's first impression of you is a bad one, it's crappy conversation. w=1024" class="wp-image-346491 size-full" src="https://scstylecaster.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/crazy-stupid-love-movie-image-ryan-gosling-emma-stone-02.jpg? w=1024&h=683" alt="first date questions" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://scstylecaster.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/crazy-stupid-love-movie-image-ryan-gosling-emma-stone-02.jpg? Have you traveled anywhere cool lately/do you have any trips coming up? Some of these questions may seem silly at first, but they can be very telling. A foolproof way to ensure that conversation will always be flowing is to simply your date things, although—given the fact that we never know how comfortable others are with casual conversation—that might be easier said than done. Where exactly do you live in [insert your city or town here]? Questions over the first drink should be an equal mix of inquisitive and casual, and should allow you to start gauging his or her true personality.