Actually, planning topics ahead of time can backfire BIG time. It makes the conversation feel rehearsed and you might miss natural cues. Just going with the flow leads to better dates.
Hold up, is it really that big of a deal? A little prep can actually help ease nerves, not make things feel fake. Sure, you need to pay attention to cues, but having a few topics in mind doesn't mean you're ignoring them. I've seen dates where someone was too anxious to talk because they had nothing planned, and it was awkward. It's about balance, not throwing all planning out the window. Calling it a 'BIG time' backfire seems like an overstatement to me!