Speed dating was introduced in the 1990s. It was originally invented as a way for young Jewish singles to meet others. Since the advent of speed dating, it has become increasingly popular throughout the United States as well as many other countries and in many major cities there are nightclubs hosting speed dating nights.
The basic format of speed dating is to invite an equal number of men and women to a location and set up a system where each man has 5-10 minutes to speak to each woman. Generally the man is given one table to start at and has a fixed amount of time to talk with the woman at this table and determine whether he would like to see her again.
After the time expires the women stay where they are seated and the men move to the next table. This process continues until everyone has met all the members of the opposite sex. At the end of each date, you check off whether you want to meet with that person again.
At the end of the night, if your date was also interested in meeting you, the event organizers provide you with the contact information for your matches. Speed dating can be a lot of fun but it does move quickly and it’s best to go into your first speed dating experience prepared.
Since speed dating allows you a very limited amount of time with each person, making a good first impression is critical. Looks may not be everything, but when you are being judged in such a short amount of time, looking your best won’t hurt. Take care in your appearance on the night of the speed dating event and be sure to smile. A sloppy appearance may result in your date mentally rejecting you right away, and they may not put much effort into their answers to your questions. A polished appearance on the night of your speed dates will ensure that you make an excellent first impression.
Going into a speed dating situation prepared is very important. This is not the time to engage in a lot of mindless small talk. Take the opportunity to ask engaging, open-ended questions that will really help to determine whether or not you have met a potential match. An open-ended question is one that cannot be answered with just yes or no.
Also, use this opportunity to ask questions that you know would be sure to eliminate a potential match. For example, if you are not interested in dating a smoker, be sure to ask whether they smoke. Deciding what you want to know ahead of time will ensure that you ask your dates relevant questions.
Punctuality is very important to speed dating. You would never want to be late for any date, because it’s impolite to keep your date waiting, but in speed dating it could really cost you. Since speed dating moves quickly, you may arrive late to find that your spot has been given away or that you have missed one or more of your dates. Be sure to arrive on time for your speed dates to ensure you don’t miss any opportunities.
Speed dating is all about having a good time but it’s also about finding potential matches so while you are on your dates, answer questions honestly and be yourself. The more honest you are during the dates the more likely you are to find a well suited match. Giving answers just because you think they are what your date wants to hear could result in the matches you find not really being your type. While they might be fun to date for awhile, they probably won’t be a good long term match for you.
Once you have made a few potential matches, do not wait too long after your speed dates to contact those matches. Both you and your dates may have made several matches that night and it may be difficult to remember much detail about each date. The sooner you contact them, the more likely it is that both of you will remember the details of your date.
Exercising caution is another important tip for speed dating. While your contact information is only given out if both you and your date indicate that you are a match, first impressions can sometimes be wrong so be careful with those you choose to make contact with after the speed date. Try setting up future dates in well populated, public places so that you will not be exposing yourself to unnecessary danger.
Speed dating is becoming an increasingly popular way to meet potential matches. It can be a very fun experience and following the tips provided above will help to allow you to have a good time, meet a wonderful partner and remain safe.
