Yes, I can help. Here's what you do. It's kind of tricky so bear with me. You might want to take notes. Ready?
BE. YOUR. SELF.
Just be yourself. The hell with "measuring up." Be who you are. Of course we all want to be liked, and we are all guilty of playing to an audience at any given time. This doesn't change the fact that worrying about what other people think of you is a colossal waste of time, as is trying to figure how to act so they will like you.
Putting that kind of pressure on yourself is maddening and unnecessary and will make you sprout a giant juicy zit on the tip of your nose the very day you're meeting these people, a zit that will no doubt pop while you are talking to the one person you want to impress most.
I'm assuming you're not a big fat obnoxious jerkwad, or this guy wouldn't be dating you. I assume that you are usually polite and friendly when you meet new people and not in the habit of pissing folks off within minutes of meeting them. So, just be you. If you ordinarily joke around with people, joke around with people. If you like to talk about, I dunno, Occam's razor and other heuristic models, then talk about Occam's razor and other heuristic models.
Just be yourself. Anything else is pointless, because no matter how you act -- as yourself or as the person you think they want you to be -- some people will like you and some won't. Either way, you win some, you lose some. That's just life. As long as the results are the same, isn't it a lot easier and a lot more honest just to be who you are?
So what if they're older? So what if they're all close? So what if they're smarter or richer or better-looking or whatever? Who cares? Eff 'em! You are you, and your guy obviously thinks enough of you to meet his friends, so wear it well. Own it. You are worthy. If they like you, great; if not, oh well.
Just be yourself. It's the part you were born to play.
OMG -- did you say "heuristic models"? You had me at "Be. Your. Self," but that was the icing on the cake.
You are, like, King of the Internet today.
I prefer "voy heuristic models" myself, but other than that, I agree with Cary, et al.
As my best friend says, "People are people, so what?"
Either they'll like you or they won't, so all you can do is be your charming self and hope for the best. I'm sure it will go just fine. Good luck, honey!
Agreed! I have a couple friends who are 23-24 and they're all dating guys in their 30's. Honestly, I think you'll find that many people in their early 30's act.... pretty much like you do at 23! In the end, age is just a number. I think you'll find you have more in common with them than you would think. It is a little intimidating at first because they are all married and that does put them at a different life stage, but really, it's not that big of a difference.
Well said. Even if you put on an act and try to be what you are not--how long can you keep that up? And why would you want to? Eventually, who you really are will be revealed. No one can keep up a phony act forever. You also can't guess what the expectations of others are or how they are going to feel about you. Just be who you are.
I can vouch for the fact that guys in or nearing their thirties really aren't any different from their early twenties. We might not be taking gigs as a pizza mascot anymore (although hell, some of us just aim low), but if he's introducing you to his friends it's because he thinks you'll get along. Trust his judgement on this one; he knows them better than you, after all.
It is human nature to surround yourself with people that are similar to you. Assuming your man does the same, since you've already won him over his friends should be no problem. Besides, I doubt he would introduce you to his friends if he didn't think you would get along.
Hee. Neener neener.
I can relate because I've dated older guys when I was younger, but I know better now! Now that I'm 29, I'm honestly not that much different from when I was 23, except I have a better job, a nicer apartment, and a newer car. You might be surprised at how many things you'll find in common with people who are in their late twenties and early thirties. I mean, come on, it's not like we're all old, moldy, and from a different planet or something like that... pfft, I have more fun now than I did at 23 because I actually have MONEY now to have a good time! :P
Like wise-ass said, just be yourself. There is nothing more annoying than a girl who puts on an act. It comes off shallow, immature, and totally fake.