Hi there! My name’s Adam Smith. Back in 2012, I was 25, living in London, and—like many of you—working way too much. I had just moved to the city, and with a pretty small social circle, I wasn’t exactly swimming in opportunities to meet new people.

One day, I stumbled across an ad for a speed dating event. I can’t even remember how I found it, but something about it caught my attention. Why not give it a go? I thought. So, I bought a ticket. Yep, an actual physical ticket delivered to me by courier (ah, the pre-digital days).

Preparing for the Big Night

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous. But thanks to my experience making cold calls at work, I knew I wouldn’t be completely boring to talk to. Plus, I spent some time Googling tips for speed dating, which definitely boosted my confidence.

The Setup

The event was bigger than I expected—around 40 people showed up! The organizers had an interesting format: they paired two women at each table, and the men rotated around in pairs. My partner for the night? A slightly quirky but polite guy. Together, we navigated the 8-10 minute chats with different groups of women.

What It Was Like

Honestly, it was surprisingly fun! The conversations flowed more easily than I thought they would. My new buddy turned out to be great at breaking the ice, especially when the women were a bit shy. His humor and quick thinking helped keep things light and engaging.

I also noticed that this 2x2 format had its perks. Compared to traditional one-on-one speed dating, it felt a bit more relaxed—less pressure on each individual to carry the conversation.

The Outcome

The whole event lasted over three hours, but it flew by. Out of all the chats, I selected one lady I wanted to meet again—and to my delight, she chose me too! We ended up meeting the following week, but that’s a story for another time.

Why I Didn’t Go Back

So, why didn’t I keep attending these events? Well, as a 25-year-old at the time, I quickly realized that most of the speed dating events in London were geared towards the 30+ crowd. I put the idea on hold, thinking I’d revisit it later.

What’s Next?

Looking back, that experience taught me a lot—not just about dating but about human connections in general. In my next article, I’ll share some of the assumptions I made and lessons I learned from speed dating. Stay tuned!

Have you ever tried speed dating? Let me know your experience in the comments! 😊