I did have a lot of first dates. They say there's plenty of fish in the sea, and I wanted to see what kind of fish was out there. So I met up with a lot of different guys. It was fun, I met a lot of different people and I don't think I'll ever be nervous for a first date again. I know how to make it a good one.

But I would not recommend dating casual if you want something serious. Dating casual while wanting a long term relationship is like studying history and wanting a psychology diploma. Time invested in those relationships is time you cannot spend on finding the kind of relationship you want. Emotion invested in those relationships means you're less open to other men at best or heartbreak at worst. And I don't think they teach you longterm relationships, as your expectations and commitment is much lower, I have to put in effort to maintain a certain distance.

I also saw a discussion on this thread about history influencing your dating chances. I do have a promiscuous past and that period of life ended badly. But none of the men I have dated afterwards cared, nor will a mature man ask you about your past. I disagree that having a past will chase away the right men - because men who care are simply not the right men for me. But I can imagine chasing away men while still being in a casual/around phase.