Speed Dating Myths

Having run our first few speed dating events in Exeter its been interesting to learn about individual perceptions and expectations of what might happen as a result of coming along to one of our events. Some people want to come along to have a bit of fun and meet some new people. Some people come along hoping they might meet a new boyfriend or girlfriend. Others come speed dating hoping they will meet their next husband or wife.

All of these things are of course possible but what I would say is that the more expectations you have of who you want to meet, the more likely you are to come away with a negative view of what speed dating can offer you.  Speed dating offers you a great way to meet lots of different people you wouldn’t ordinarily see so its good to come along with an open mind and a desire to enjoy yourself.

If you are coming along to find a romantic spark with someone then remember, meeting somebody special can take time, its a numbers game. If you don’t meet anyone you like first time around then why not come back and meet a new group of people next time?  Of course there are those who do attend speed dating events who meet someone they really like the first time.

So what are the myths surrounding speed dating? Well one of the biggest myths is that speed dating is only for a certain type of person. We have all sorts of people attending our events, we have barristers, farmers, accountants, shop assistants, IT specialists, customer service representatives and doctors to name but a few. Each event mixes together a different group of people so its really like a little slice or cross section of society.

Another myth surrounding speed dating is that 3-4 minutes isn’t long enough to decide whether you like someone or not.  Well we disagree. We humans are a complex bunch, we make decisions about things all the time, whether its buying some food, shopping for clothes or deciding what programmes we want to watch on tv. The point is we all make decisions and judgments all the time. I actually think it would be very difficult to sit in front of someone for four minutes and not form an opinion about whether you like them or not. For many of our guests 4 minutes seems to fly by which is a good indication that you get on well with someone.  Of course there are always going to be exceptions to this rule, some people warm to others over longer periods of time. Speed dating in many ways could be viewed as being quite cut throat simply because we tend to revert back to quite a basic set of mechanisms. Do we find the person sitting opposite us physically attractive? Does the person sitting opposite me share similar interests or do they make me laugh? All these types of question have quite clear yes and no answers which helps us to make decisions about our potential compatibility.

I would encourage anyone who is single to give speed dating a try and not to come along with any preconceived notions about what it is or what it isn’t. Our Speed dating events are ideal for anyone looking to increase their circle of friends of both men and women and of course there is always that chance that you may just really hit it off with someone special.

We hold events monthly and for a variety of different age groups.