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although i am still single, regrettably
What do you do when you’re chronically single, approaching thirty, and too anxious to go on Hinge? Speed date, of course!
Ditching the monotony of algorithmic swiping for in-person meetups is all the rage with Gen Z, apparently. Things have gotten so bad online that some are even dismissing traditional heteronorms entirely and opting for indefinite singlehood instead. It’s a bold move.
If you’ve managed to bat off a generational wave of cynicism and still possess a shred of romanticism in spite of…well…everything, I recommend giving speed dating a go. Is it a bit silly? Sure. Will you internally cringe and feel a little desperate? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Results may vary, honestly, but it’s worth a shot at least once.
I’ve been to two speed dating events so far. I live in Bristol, so they’re a little more lowkey than I imagine a London equivalent is likely to be, but all operate in a loosely similar fashion: you rock up, neck a pint or three, sit down at a table and swap out dates every five minutes or so. It’s simple!
Conversation tends to be brief but rapid. You’re usually given a very small window of time to get to know the other person, which means questions have to be flung out quicker than you can say them.
After a few ‘dates’ you’ll start to notice a bit of a pattern in how they tend to go and before long you’ll have a standard introductory chat that gets the ball rolling. By this point it becomes more of an exercise than anything to be nervous about. If I can do it, anyone can.
For optimal enjoyment, I’d urge you to bring at least one or two friends. I’ve attended both with a consistent group of four, all of us single and a little jaded with the apps. There’s an inherent strength in numbers this way and even if everything goes terribly, you can at least make a funny evening out of it and laugh together at another pub afterwards.
