What’s it like to go speed dating?
November 1, 2010 by Jocelyn Gollner · Leave a Comment
I hadn’t really on going to the KSA’s speed-dating event, but decided to after one of my fellow single friends suggested that it might be fun to see what it was all about.
Conveniently, she “forgot” to sign up in time so I decided to go solo. I had never been speed dating before, so I was nervous: What if we had nothing to talk about? What if they were all freaks?
When I signed in at the Grassroots Cafe around 4 p.m. on Oct. 21, I was given a name tag, an ice-breaker question sheet and a pen.
Instructions on the ice-breaker sheet ranged from “Find someone who speaks three languages” to “Find someone who has worked at McDonalds.”
Normally, I absolutely hate ice-breaker exercises. They seem like a forced way to get people to talk to each other. In this situation it wasn’t too bad, though. People were friendly and the ice-breaker seemed to relax them.
Once the ice-breaker was over, everyone went to sit at a previously assigned table, which was appropriately decorated with black tablecloths and little candles. The speed dating began.
Each female person was allotted five minutes with spend with each male person. You talked, found out a little bit about the other person, and decided if you had a connection or not. If you thought you would like to see the person you were talking to again, you would write “yes” beside their name in a booklet everyone was given before the dating. If you didn’t really feel a connection with the person, you had to write “no” beside their name.
Once the five minutes was up, the guys would rotate to the next table and a new date would begin.
It was actually interesting to talk to all of the guys. Everyone seemed really down to earth, which was nice.
I had thought that I would be getting the “He’s so creepy, get me out of this situation NOW” thought, but I didn’t.
(Of course, the nice thing with speed dating is that even if you do get that he’s-creepy-get-me-the-hell-out-of-here vibe, you only need to spend five minutes talking to them. You don’t need to have your friend call you and fake a family emergency.)
Not every guy that I talked to was the type of guy that I would date, but talking to them for five minutes was fine. Fun even.
At the end of the event, we all handed in our booklets with the names of the people we would like to see again. It was then the organizers job to look to see if both people felt a mutual connection. If there was a match, they would send out the other’s contact information to each participant.
I got an e-mail from the organizers at the Speed Dating event the other day, telling me that there was no mutual connections for me this time.
That’s fine. I had a good time at the event and don’t regret going.
If your one and only concern is coming out of the speed dating with a date lined up, you may be disappointed. But if you go with the intent to meet some interesting fellow Kwantleners, and maybe get a date in the process, you’ll have a good time regardless of the outcome.
When the next Kwantlen speed dating event comes around, I’ll be letting my single friends know where to go to find a potential date, or, if not that, spend a fun couple of hours.
RELATED: Students turn out for speed dating at Kwantlen
Students turn out for speed dating at Kwantlen
November 1, 2010 by Sarah Casimong · Leave a Comment
Speed dating took place at the Grassroots Cafe at the Surrey campus on Oct. 21. (Photo by Sarah Casimong)
With a busy school schedule, who has time to meet a potential boyfriend or girlfriend? Speed dating might be the easiest and fastest way for students to get a date.
The KSA’s speed dating event took place on Oct. 21 at the Grassroots Cafe at the Surrey campus. Female and male students went out to participate, to meet new people and maybe even get a date. It turned out to be so popular that the Kwantlen Student Association had to put a few names on a waiting list for future events.
“There’ll be another one [next semester],” said Reena Bali, director of events. “We might do two because the demand for this one is pretty high, like a waiting list.”
However, some KSA members had to fill in for the registrants who got cold feet and never showed up.
Nathan Griffiths takes part in speed dating at Kwantlen's Grassroots Cafe on Oct. 21. Each table was occupied by a couple who had five minutes to talk before the men moved to the next table. (Photo by Sarah Casimong)
“There was supposed to be 20 [participants]. Twenty guys, 20 girls, but only half showed up. We’re thinking for next year to maybe do a $5 deposit. There were a lot of people on the waiting list that wanted to [come] but we weren’t able to tell them because we thought everyone was going to show up,” Bali said.
The event started with an ice-breaker activity before participants took to the tables to start off five-minute conversations. After five minutes were up, the men would move to meet another woman at the next table.
The speed dating event started at 4 p.m. at the Grassroots Cafe. Participants signed in to get their assigned numbers and name tags before playing an ice breaker. (Photo by Sarah Casimong)
Before the event started, some students opened up right before their first experience with speed dating.
“I don’t think [I'm nervous]; I’ll find out,” said Imtiaz Khan, an accounting student, before the event. “I just want to try it out. I’ve never tried this speed dating, so yeah, [this is] just for fun.”
Manpreet Uppal, a third-year nursing student, was also excited and nervous.
“This is just for fun, to do something different. I’ve never done it before. I wanted to do it last year, but I think it didn’t go with my school schedule and today it did. I am nervous now,” she said.
The next speed dating event is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2011. For more information, visit the KSA website.
RELATED: A personal take on the speed-dating experience.
Find a Valentine’s Day squeeze at Langley’s speed-dating bash
The Langley Kwantlen Student Association is putting on its first-ever speed-dating event on Feb. 11, just in time to find a last minute date for Valentine’s Day.
The idea came from Jennifer Campbell, campus representative for the Langley campus. She recognized that there were a lot of singles on campus and found that there was an interest when the KSA did a survey last September.
Speed-dating events are popular at universities, she said. If successful, the KSA will look into putting them on at other Kwantlen campuses.
“I think it’s good because it’s a way for students to get to know each other through different programs,†she said.
“A lot of times if you’re in a set program, all you see are those people. Although those people may be nice, they may not be the match you’re looking for.â€
The speed-dates will take place on-campus, in the cafeteria from 7-9 pm. They will be about five minutes long and students will receive a package of icebreaker questions at each table. At the end of each date, students will write down whether they like the other, and if there’s a match, they will receive each another’s email at the end of the event.
“This gives a chance for students of all different backgrounds and different dreams about what their schooling is a chance to get to know each other and maybe find a match — or maybe find a new friend.â€
If you want to join, visit the Langley campus and register at the Kwantlen Student Association. Sign-up sheets are on the door of the KSA office.
