Speed Dating

Is your ideal not just one but many dates all in a single evening? Well that is what you get once you enter into the world of speed dating. As its name implies, speed dating is geared towards meeting a lot of available individuals in a short amount of time – and it's all very legal. In fact, speed dating clubs are springing up all over the world and membership is booming.

Built on the premise that first impressions count, speed dating is a sort of structured meeting attended by professional singles.

These singles 'meet' with one another for a period of time, usually about 3 to 6 minutes, during which time they tell each other as much as they can about each other. When the time is up, a buzzer sounds, and each of the members switch partners and repeat the process over and over again until the 'meeting' is over.

As participants are registered, they are given an identification tag that typically lists a number and person's first name and also a score card for recording notes and level of interest. After each round, participants jot down quick notes about the person they've just met before moving on.

It's not unusual for a night of speed dating to result in meeting 15 to 25 or 30 new people. Of that number, it's not uncommon to be interested in at least one, but frequently several other speed daters.

Then, usually the next day, participants log onto the speed dating company's website where they indicate the person or persons they'd like to meet again. When there is a match, both parties are notified and they can then use the site's email to communicate and plan future get-togethers.

One of the main advantages of speed dating as compared to online dating is obviously, the fact that you get to meet all these new people in the flesh. You get to see them in person rather than relying on a photo that may or may not be an accurate portrayal of the person.

You get to see how a prospective mate operates under pressure and if that person is interesting enough to hold your attention for a short time.

One disadvantage is that although speed dating is growing in popularity, clubs have not ventured too far outside the major cities. It's great if you live in a metropolitan area, but if not, expect to travel to get to these types of meetings.

Another disadvantage is these rapid engagements can be nerve-wracking and a person might not always make a good first impression when he or she otherwise would in a different setting. Another disadvantage is the number of members. Online dating websites currently have much higher membership figures than those that specialize in speed dating.

If you're interested in trying today's latest dating trend, it's easy to get started. Just go online and find a speed dating club that will be holding events near where you live and RSVP. You may have to become a member, but some sites allow non-members to participate. They're just charged a higher fee.