You may have heard about a fairly new way to meet people called speed dating.

Speed Dating actually began a long time ago in Jewish communities in the Middle East. In recent years speed dating has spread and become really popular throughout Europe and North America.

Speed daters go around from station to station every few minutes and meet a new potential partner at every station. Each dater alternates asking the other participant at their station questions until the time runs out and then they move onto the next station. All dater’s take notes on each date so they can decide who they do or do not want to see again after the speed dating session. At many of the speed dating events the women stay at the same station for the whole session while the men proceed from station to station to meet each woman.

Those in favor of speed dating claim it is a better, cheaper and safer method of meeting potential dates than going into a bar. They also point out that it is much more effective than other dating options, such as blind dates, since you meet each person face-to-face and can gather information on them quickly.

A unique aspect of speed dating is that participants are not permitted to ask each other out directly. Only those daters that have verbalized reciprocal interest in one another will be provided with contact information to connect with their potential partner outside of the speed dating arena. This is a positive for those people who have a difficult time coping with rejection since they never have to contend with it face-to-face. Naturally there is a possibility that no one will be interested in meeting you again. In that event, you would leave the speed dating event feeling much worse than before the event and you would be less likely to attend a speed dating event in the future.

What does it cost?

Most speed dating services charge between $25 and $60 per individual. The fee usually includes a couple of drinks, a meal or snacks. Most speed dating sessions have between 50 and 150 participants, half men and half women.

Let’s say the average price for a speed dating is $40. Let’s also presume that there will be 55 single people of the opposite sex at the event. To be introduced to 1 eligible single it would cost you $0.73 ($40 divided by 55). So the price of meeting 100 prospective partners is about $73.00.

One down side of speed dating is that you are required to spend your time on "dates" with folks you are not attracted to and have no interest in, wasting both your time and money. Of course it is merely a few minutes and can be well worth it if you wind up getting together with someone special at that event.

Is Speed Dating right for you?

I still believe that online dating, for most people, offers the best, more convenient, and safest way to meet new potential partners. However, if you are someone who needs to see a person face to face before you make a decision on whether or not to go out on a date, then speed dating might be for you.

If you decide to give speed dating a try be sure to remember one thing. No matter what happens… Enjoy Yourself!

My favorite Speed Dating site is HurryDate. What the heck is HurryDate? It’s a party where you’ll meet tons of new people with the guys rotating from woman to woman every time they blow a whistle. You’ll indicate on a SCOREcard whether or not you’d like to see each person you meet again…and they’ll match you up! Click the banner to see what HurryDate is all about. Rating: