In the article, we are going to explain what speed dating is and how it works.
Speed dating: Overview
Speed dating is a modern way of finding companionship. As a rule, there is a group of at least 10 people, and everybody is going to talk to 5 different partners at minimum. Each person has from 3 to 8 minutes to introduce himself/herself and to ask the partner some simple questions (e.g. What is your hobby/occupation/favourite food?).
Each participant makes notes on everybody he/she talked to and, at the end of the event, writes down the names of those who have caught their attention. Then, the organizers look for a match. And if speed dating participants have a thing for each other, they may exchange contact details and organize a real date later on.
Types of speed dating events
There are various kinds of speed dating events depending on the amount of participants (large and small) and their sexual orientation (LGBTQ and heterosexual). Besides, due to the pandemic (2020-2021), virtual speed dating has become really popular.
Speed dating benefits
The biggest plus of speed dating is that you do not have to share your contact details, or stay with a person for too long just to be polite. This is a perfect solution for those hesitating to ask someone to go out or simply exchange numbers. What is more, speed dating offers an opportunity to find a soul mate pretty fast. That is why such events are usually popular with people aged 35 and above as they know what they like/dislike, and what character features/kind of appearance are more appealing to them.
Overcoming awkwardness
To be completely honest, during speed dating, participants have no time to keep silence. As everybody has just 3-8 minutes to introduce themselves and to know the partner better, it is very important to keep a conversation no matter what. But if you really do not know what to talk about, you may use the following list of questions we have prepared for you:
- What is your favourite movie/music?
- If you could invite a celebrity to a brunch, who would it be?
- Who is your life model?
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- How do you like to spend weekends?
- What makes you shy/laugh/cry?
- How would you describe yourself in 3 adjectives?
- If you had a chance to live anywhere in the entire universe, where would it be?
- What would you cook for a family gathering/ home party?
- If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be and why?
- Do you prefer eating out or cooking at home?
- What was the last book you read? How was it?
- Wine or beer? Or maybe just water?
- How do you relax usually?
- Are you a listener or a speaker?
Of course, there are way more interesting questions to ask, but these are the most common ones.
Another important thing is that you should not treat speed dating as an interview. Relax and do not overthink too much.