Speed Dating

Speed dating! I'm rarely impressed when it comes to dating agencies, dating games or matchmaking systems, but I have to say I'm impressed with the concept behind Speed Dating and whoever thought it up was a clever little sod. Traditional dating is so last century and today's single men and women don't want to waste time on dates that aren't going to go anywhere -- they're uncomfortable, they're dull and they are awkward as anything. If you're looking to meet new singles, look into speed dating!

What is speed dating?

Speed dating is, essentially, a speedy matchmaking system. Originally, it was created to help Jewish singles meet other Jewish singles, but nowadays speeding dating is designed to attract and appeal to any religion and any walk of life.

How does speed dating work?

Singles register with a speed dating organization and then attend the speed dating event. Typically, women sit at the same table throughout the event, and the men play musical chairs for 3 minutes at a time (sometimes up to 8 minutes, depending on the organization). You make small talk and then jot down on your card some indication of whether or not you'd be interested in seeing them again. At the end of the night, the organizers check all the cards and if the people you expressed interest in reciprocated on their own cards, the staff will pass your details to one another. If not, your information doesn't get shared.

What types of speedating groups are there?

In my own city, I've seen all sorts of speed dating groups. I've seen Sugar Daddy (young women and older, wealthy men specifically seeking each other out); Sugar Mama (young men seeking older women); traditional groups of singles in similar age groups and more. You can find speed dating agencies who offer 3 minute sessions or go for something longer.

How much does speed dating cost?

Generally speaking, the speed dating events I've seen advertised are relatively inexpensive. If you need to cancel, however, be aware of the policies beforehand, as some companies have a no refund policy after a certain date.

Benefits of speedating:

• It's said that men and women size each other up within 30 seconds of seeing each other. If this is true, spending more than 3 minutes with someone you're not keen on would be a major waste of time. Speed dating solves that issue without hurting anyone's feelings.

• You know the people you're chatting to are there to meet potential partners, as opposed to just meeting people in a bar who might just be there for quick fling.

• You can meet loads of people in one go!

• You know immediately whether or not the physical attraction is there, whereas online dating makes it impossible to know this until a good deal more time has elapsed.