So, yeah, Speed Dating. Sometimes you just need a break from Awards Season!

No one believes me when I say this… but I love speed dating. I am aware it does not otherwise fit my personality so when someone throws out speed dating as an activity, my friends don’t always believe me at first. But I always respond with, “In.”

And that’s exactly how we ended up Zoom speed dating last week. I’d been talking with my friend, we shall call her the Queen, about doing it since the prehistoric days (aka Pre-2020). And finally scheduled and life worked in our favor (I had to brief her on a work project and we were probably gonna spend at least 45 min catching up anyways… so why not go on six mini-dates?). We signed up day-of. And, yes, virtual speed dating is just as ridiculous and entertaining as in-person (and the cocktails are cheaper!)

Q was honestly not prepared for the sheer amount of joy she would witness and experience while simultaneously speed dating in my living room. This fact was proven when midway through she stopped talking to her dates to take photos and videos of me chatting away.

What’s not to like:

5-minute conversations mean you aren’t just able to be judgy… it’s expected. You can’t possibly make an educated decision in that amount of time… so judge and be judged. (Dude rolling around in your unmade bed, in the din of a black light, while aggressively petting your uber-white cat––while I very much wish to use you in a book someday, I don’t think we are a match. Next!)

It’s like an hour all in… and you only need one outfit!!! (Let’s be honest, it was over the Zooms, it only required a decent shirt and some lipstick. #lipstickisthenewpants)

Also, people are weird and that totally comes through in 5 minutes (especially virtually on day 3,458 of quarantine). Weird people are the best because they are themselves. Crystals, crypto, the mandolin, moving to outer space –– nothing is off-limits. While I encourage you to be yourself, sometimes you need to put on your detective hat and get to the bottom of that Minotaur-Suit of Armor displayed in the background.

Finally, let’s also be clear you may meet the love of your life or your new concert buddy or a new friend (and you never know who they know––maybe they’re the quirky best friend in your future-mate’s story) or you may just have a ridiculously entertaining evening and meet some new people. I’m not the least bit embarrassed to admit I’ve never matched with anyone at sped dating (I’ve also never been super sad about it. And relieved to not match at least twice!) But I’ve never had a bad time and I always walk away with a great story!