Is Speed Dating Right for You?

The concept of speed dating revolves around dating a number of people for a short time, anything from between three minutes up to ten minutes, at an organised event. During this time, you'll be able to decide if the person you have speed dated is someone you would like to get to know better. If this sounds intriguing to you, let's take a look at some tips for successful speed dating.

 

Speed dating events take place at a variety of venues, such as hotels, and you normally have to pay to attend. Many speed dating events in London take place in plush hotels and boutique night clubs. Each participant is given a number and a scorecard. You sit at a table and work your way around the other tables, so that you get a chance to speak to the other participants for a limited amount of time. During that time, you'll engage in conversation with each participant to form an opinion of that person. You use the scorecard to tick against the number of the participant you like, and after the event, this information is forwarded on to that person. If any matches are made, their details are passed on to you, so you can meet again.

 

Many people believe speed dating works because it only takes a short amount of time to know if you like someone or not, so less time is wasted compared to online dating. As speed dating is also an organised event, you can be reassured that you are meeting in a safe and welcoming environment, where the object is to have fun and enjoy yourself. Many people who might be nervous about attending a speed dating event can usually take a friend along for company, which can ease them into the world of dating in a gentler way than doing it alone.

 

Speed dating does require a bit of preparation, however. You don't have long to make an impression on someone, so it's important to try to think of some questions or conversation starters that will be memorable. It will be hard for you to stand out from the rest of the participants if you ask the usual questions, such as 'what do you do for a living?' or 'where do you live?', so try to think 'outside the box' and talk about things that will rouse the interest of a participant. Thought-provoking questions could include, for example, 'if you could be someone else for a day, who would it be?', or 'what makes you laugh?' Avoid asking questions that might scare someone off, such as 'do you want to get married?' or 'do you want to have children?' Although these are important questions to consider in any relationship, avoid posing them initially at a speed dating event.
 

Try to be yourself so that you come across as naturally as possible. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in, especially since you'll be moving around tables for a couple of hours or so!

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