Have you ever thought about going speed dating? It’s something I never really said out loud however it’s definitely something I was always curious about. The whole concept of speed dating is pretty interesting. If you’re a female you basically sit down and have 10-15 males rotate around you every five minutes.
Five minutes can go very quickly if you’re having a great conversation or it can feel like an eternity if the conversation is going south from the start. Part of what makes it better than just meeting some dude at a bar is you don’t have to guess if the other person is single or what they want; everyone there should just be there because they want to date. It also clears up any missed connections since at the end of the round you can decide to match if you want to get in contact with them (but it has to be mutual.)
Needless to say, I’m a hopeless romantic and I truly feel that if you want something out of life you have to put yourself out there. It’s part of living intentionally. I’ve been putting myself out there for a few months since I’ve been single and I thought why not speed dating? I want a meaningful relationship in the near future. And in this modern age where everyone is busy, some mediums that aren’t traditional might just work. I came across LA First Dates on livingsocial and signed up.
It took me awhile to actually sign up for a specific event. Most of these events are aimed at older adults. I actually was 20 when I bought my voucher to attend a speed date, however, I didn’t realize that I had to be 21. Needless to say, I had to wait a few months for an event that I could attend. Some of the events are “younger women older men," “singles with advanced degrees," ”older adults” and “young professionals.” I’m graduating in May with my bachelors and just turned 21 so “young professionals” seemed like the one I can be least out of place.
As the event came close I felt nervous, shy and doubtful. I just thought of all the bad things that can happen. I then realized that I couldn’t have all this negativity consume me; I have to live in the moment. I then had a mini freak out about what to wear, the website said business casual. Business casual is vague to me. I had a hard time figuring out how dressed up I should look since it was at a bar. I also make a conscious effort to not appear super “sexy” I didn’t want to come across as that person who just is there to hook-up. I decided to go with one of my favorite little black dress, a statement necklace and a black peacoat.
I’m a pretty punctual person and got to the event about an hour early. The event was at a hidden bar originally that you had to enter through an alley. I felt a bit uncomfortable but as I saw the other speed daters I felt more at ease. It was located in the heart of LA and luckily it was moved to the most visible bar very last minute. I felt more comfortable at this point because I met another girl there who never tried speed dating before, she wasn’t looking for anything serious and didn’t expect much from it. We decided to walk in and sit next to each other. As we entered the bar some of the servers asked why there were so many pretty girls and not so handsome guys. It made all the ladies giggle.
As the event began the host explained to us how it works. She explained the rotations and how to pick your match after. She also told the girls to give her a “look” if we needed saving. I then decided to get a drink to help me loosen up.
The first “date” or “round” went by incredibly fast. The first guy was nice and from Hawaii he was there to meet new people. After the first date some of the dates became jumbled and not memorable. Some of the guys seemed to have what they are saying rehearsed and I felt like it was disingenuous. However there were a few guys I do remember. I met a doctor, master’s student, scientist, fraternity man, start-up guy, retired business owner and a pilot.
After the first few rounds you have an idea what to say and it becomes less exciting and nerve wrecking. At about the 5th round I felt like there could be some potential with some of these men. Some were really intellectual and seemed to have pretty good goals and aspirations.
The next day I got an email saying that I was now able to choose my matches. I thought long and hard about it. My friend who went with me decided to not log in her matches because she didn’t want to lead any guy on. I however, decided to pick a few guys. I then got another email saying I got a match.
I matched with two men. I matched with the scientist and the pilot. Then the waiting game began. I wasn’t sure if I should make the first move, so I didn’t. I want a guy who is willing to text me first.
The scientist never contacted me but the pilot has been texting me since the day after the event. I asked him why he matched with me--I asked if it was because of attraction, my personality or a mixture of both. He then told me that he forgot what we talked about but that he thought we clicked. I don’t think he is the love of my life, but, at least, I have a new friend! My new friend that I met at the event said she didn’t bother to match with any of the guys but that it was a fun experience for her.
I feel the same way, it’s probably something I wouldn’t do again but it’s something I wouldn’t not ever do again either. My final thought on it is that it’s a great way to have fun and meet people you wouldn’t have met otherwise. You should try it at least once, you have nothing to lose. You never know who you might meet.
