The Speed Dating Game in 2009.
Hey, what's the frigging rush?

I know a bunch of guys who are addicted, for want of a better word, to the bar scene. Young, non committal, energetic, buck studs, as they like to call themselves. These lads enjoy going out on Friday and Saturday nights to have a skin full of drinks with their buddies or, failing that, random people, buying girls drinks and grinding among casual bodies on the dance floor. Occasionally these guys will bring a girl home, but it usually isn’t for a long, lasting, or meaningful relationship; they’re usually back at the bar the following weekend for more of the same. No, these guys are all for getting out there in the action and will not be wasting valuable pickup time looking for a free online dating service. The idea of speed dating to them is to quickly get out and to get acquainted with some pretty lass before someone beats them to it.

Ok, so the pubs and clubs might be good stomping ground for both the young and the young at heart, but for many others they are little more than meat markets considered as dens of iniquity where promiscuity and scoring all kinds of crap is rife. However, despite our views, many of us still end up at the bars on the weekends. Why? “Well, like it or not, they are still a known as places to meet other singles amid all the loose and care free crowds. We don’t want to date our co-workers, and online dating sort of freaks many of us out out, so these mutual meeting places are all there is. Aren't they?

There are other solutions: If you're unimpressed with bars, wary of online dating, and tired of blind dates, many people have turned to speed dating as a way to meet new people. Speed dating nights are usually either hosted by speed dating services or by particular bars or clubs. They collect a number of singles, often between twenty and forty, and put them into a room together. The way it works is that the single men and women rotate around the room at timed intervals, usually between three and five minutes. This way, each of the men meets each of the women and vice-versa, but only for a short period of time. After each encounter, the singles mark whether or not they enjoyed the encounter on their own private sheet of paper. At the end of the night these sheets are turned in. Afterwards, any pairings which both members marked “yes” to, are given each others’ contact information, allowing them to get together in the future.

Let's be perfectly clear about this, speed dating might sound like a great way to get hooked up, but it most definitely is not for everyone. Not every single that gets thrown in at the deep end will learn to swim. If you're a little on the shy side, you may feel like a tiny fish in a pool of sharks, and the whole experience may destroy, not build, your confidence for future dating. If you're in no rush, then take the gentler, softer, approach and search for a little love online.

Speed dating is based on the idea that when you meet someone new you usually have established the impressions you give each other within a few minutes, and any exciting chemistry or attraction that may occur between the two of you will be evident within a few minutes as well. Therefore, if things are going to go well with someone you’ll probably feel it during your mini speed date, but if the two of you really aren’t compatible you only have to spend a few short minutes with each other. This avoids the awkwardness of failed blind dates or long dinner conversations, while allowing you to meet a lot of new people all at once. So, whereas speed dating may not be for everyone, many people are finding it a great alternative to other ways of meeting other singles.

It doesn’t matter if speed dating is not your cup of tea. At least there are more choices for singles these days then ever before. It used to just be the newspaper classified ads or a local dating agency. Now there are free online dating sites, Christian dating services, and online dating chat rooms galore. You can find race specific sites like an Asian dating service or a black dating service. In fact, it’s all available these days whether it’s creed, color midgets or monsters, you’ll find it all with on and off line options. Good luck!