For example, there are some events for young professionals and others for older retired singles. Choose the event that is appropriate for you. You will likely need to register ahead of time. You can register on the website for the event or over the phone. You will pay in advance and it will likely cost around $40.
For your introduction, consider how you want to first present yourself to other speed daters. You could say something like, “Hi! My name is Mary. I’m a 31 year old single mom. I work in microbiology and in my free time I love to hike. ” For your biographical information, you should have an idea of what you most want to say about yourself. Create a short biography that sums up what you feel are the qualities you want to communicate. You could make a list of important things to share, such as your hobbies (“I love to ski”), interests (“I enjoy foreign films”), personality traits (“I’m very outgoing and love to socialize”), values (“I’m a vegan who is an advocate for all animals”), and what you’re looking for (“I’m looking to settle down and start a family”). Make sure to practice speaking clearly and to smile often. You could practice in a mirror to see how you appear. Keep it light and positive. Don’t discuss your negative feelings about your job or your strained relationship with your ex.
You could ask all different kinds of questions, from the basics like “What do you do for a living?” and “What do you like to do for fun?” to more probing questions like “Where do you see yourself in five years?” and “What are you most passionate about?” You could even ask goofy questions like “Do you have a favorite joke?” Just keep in mind that you have a very short amount of time to converse with this person, so choose the questions that matter most to you. [5] X Research source
For example, maybe you are looking for someone who is passionate about their job, is adventurous, and wants to have kids some day. For deal-breakers, perhaps you are unwilling to date a smoker or will only date someone of a specific religion.
Dress up a bit to look nice. Men can wear a dress shirt and tie and women can wear a nice blouse. This will help you to make a good first impression.
The match card is what you will fill out after each speed date. You will hand it in at the end of the night and if you both checked “yes,” then that is a match and you will be given each other’s contact information. [9] X Research source
To introduce yourself to someone, you could say, “Hi, I’m Fred. ” And then you could strike up a conversation by saying something like, “Is this your first time speed dating?”
Don’t ask too many questions. If it starts to feel like an interview, there probably isn’t good chemistry between you. The goal is to have a natural, albeit hurried, conversation. [14] X Research source Be sure to ask the most important questions. Since time is limited, find out what really matters to you.
Disagree when necessary. It’s ok if it doesn’t work out with this person. The point of speed dating is simply to find a couple of people who might be potential matches for you. For example, if the other person says, “I love dogs and having pets is very important to me,” it is perfectly acceptable to admit that you’re not a pet person.
Showing sympathy is another good way to connect. For example, you could say, “I’m sorry to hear that,” if the person has recently lost their job. You can even interrupt the other person to give positive feedback as a way of showing that you understand what they are saying, for example, “I know! That restaurant is the best in town!” This shows that you are excited about the conversation. But don’t interrupt to change the direction of the conversation.
Do not request contact information or ask the person out. The event is low pressure because whether you are a match will be determined at the end based on whether you both said you liked each other on your match card.
