You can generally tell within the first few minutes of meeting someone whether you're attracted to that person, whether it's on a blind date, or meeting someone from the Internet. In those first precious minutes, you've probably already determined whether there's going to be a second date (or possibly even what your kids will look like).

Let's face it... sometimes you just don't feel a spark when you meet someone face-to-face. We're not talking about "love at first sight", but just enough time for your intuition to tell you that there's potential for more.

This is the idea behind speed dating. We feel that five minutes is just enough time for you to know if the two of you "click", and would like to see each other again.

But, why stop at one date? A typical McGill Speed Dating event usually has 24 participants (12 men and 12 women), so this ensures that you'll have 12 chances to meet someone you'll find interesting.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does speed dating work?
2. Who can attend a McGill Speed Dating event?
3. Who should speed date?
4. Speed Dating doesn't sound very romantic...
5. Where does McGill Speed Dating typically hold its events?
6. When are events usually held?
7. How long does a typical McGill Speed Dating event last?
8. What is the dress code for these events?
9. What happens if there is an unequal number of men and women?
10. What contact information is exchanged, and how is privacy ensured?
11. What if I don't get a match?
12. What's a "match rate"?
13. What if, after 1 minute, I don't want to talk to the person I'm paired with?
14. How much does it cost to sign up for an event?
15. Is it still possible to sign-up for an event once registration is full?
16. Why would I want to do this?
17. Is this some kind of joke?
18. Does this actually work?
19. What tips can you give to participants?
20. I signed up through the website, but never heard back from you guys. What gives?
21. Do I have to sign up on the website for every event? Or, do you keep our name on file for future events?
22. I've seen ads for "McGill Turbo-Dating" and "Abbott Dating"... what's the story with these guys?
23. How is McGill Speed Dating different from other speed dating events on campus?

1. How does speed dating work?
   
   It's all really simple. Initially, every guy and girl are paired off and seated at different tables. So, for five minutes, the two of you can chat and get to know each other.
   
   Once the five minutes are up, everyone is given a short break to collect himself/herself. Then you will be paired up with yet another partner, until you've spoken with everyone.
   
   Also, everyone is given a scorecard on which you can (discreetly) check off whom you're interested in. At the end of the night, the cards are returned to us, and we'll inform you the next day if there was a mutual match along with the other person's contact information. (A mutual match implies that the person whom you were interested in was also interested in you. Of course, you can have more than one mutual match.)
   
   
2. Who can attend a McGill Speed Dating event?
   
   Our events are designed for anyone to attend, as long as they are McGill University students. We understand that being a student can sometimes make it difficult to find the time to meet new people, so this is the ideal opportunity to do so.
   
   
3. Who should speed date?
   
   Anyone can try out a speed dating event. A common misconception is that these events are for people who can't usually get dates, however we must stress that this is not the case. Speed dating is really meant for people who are open-minded and more cerebral in their communications. Lastly, it is geared towards those who appreciate its implicit efficiencies.
   
   In the near future, McGill Speed Dating will be holding special events in conjunction with specific student clubs and/or faculties. This is ideal for those students who prefer to date people who share a common interest or ethnic backgrounds.
   
   
4. Speed Dating doesn't sound very romantic...
   
   Well, it's not meant to be romantic. It's simply a way to meet people. How you take it afterwards is up to you. :)
   
   
5. Where does McGill Speed Dating typically hold its events?
   
   The location is disclosed after participants have signed-up. (We prefer to keep the location secret to ensure the privacy of the participants, and so that we have a tighter control of who will be attending.) The events are usually held in a reserved section of a cafe or lounge with a casual and discreet ambiance. (Generally within a reasonable distance from the downtown McGill campus.)
   
   
6. When are events usually held?
   
   We try to accomodate most students by planning our events on weeknights, usually in the evening. Also, this allows time for matches to meet during the weekend.
   
   
7. How long does a typical McGill Speed Dating event last?
   
   The expected attendance for an event is 24 participants (12 men and 12 women), meaning that there will be time for 12 dates (five minutes each) with ample resting time between each date to gather your thoughts. Therefore, an entire session lasts around 90 minutes.
   
   
8. What is the dress code for these events?
   
   Wear whatever you feel more comfortable in. Our events are usually held in a cafe or lounge, so there's no need to be overdressed. But, we do want to remind you that five minutes isn't very much time, so first impressions do count here.
   
   
9. What happens if there is an unequal number of men and women?
   
   While every measure is taken to ensure that McGill Speed Dating events will have the required number of partcipants attending, we do rely on the word of all participants to show up if they've registered for an event. If, for some reason, someone decides not to show up, then the event will go on as planned with some participants having a rest period during a given round.
   
   
10. What contact information is exchanged, and how is privacy ensured?
    
    You decide what contact information you would like us to exchange in the event of a mutual match. (We use the scorecards to determine if the person you were interested in was also interested in you.) Remember, your information is exchanged only in the event of a mutual match.
    
    In general, the contact information you provide us can be an email address, or even a phone number. McGill Speed Dating handles the exchange of contact information by emailing both parties involved on the day following the event. We value your privacy, and take the highest measures to keep your personal information protected.
    
    
11. What if I don't get a match?
    
    While we can't promise that everyone will get a match, our past events have shown that around 50-90% of participants end up with a mutual match. For those who don't, we encourage you to participate again.
    
    
12. What's a "match rate"?
    
    The match rate is a measure of an event's success. Essentially, it corresponds to the percentage of participants who have received one or more mutual matches. If, for example, 18 participants out of 24 receive matches, then that corresponds to a 75% match rate. The match rate does not represent the total number of matches, but rather the number of participants who received matches. (Participants generally end up with more than one match.)
    
    
13. What if, after 1 minute, I don't want to talk to the person I'm paired with?
    
    While this is very unlikely, you are free to end your dates before the five minutes are up. You should never feel obligated to be in an uncomfortable conversation, though we do expect participants to handle this delicate situation as politely as possible.
    
    
14. How much does it cost to sign up for an event?
    
    The typical participation fee for an event is around $5, depending on the event.
    
    
15. Is it still possible to sign-up for an event once registration is full?
    
    Yes. In the event of a last-minute cancellation, you will be contacted with an invitation to participate. Otherwise, your name will be kept on file for the next McGill Speed Dating event.
    
    
16. Why would I want to do this?
    
    For the most part, students participating in McGill Speed Dating events find the concept very attractive and intriguing. This is a chance for students to meet new people in a casual environment, where conversation is the cornerstone of the encounter. It's up to participants to decide if they would like to pursue a friendship with these new acquaintances, or possibly more.
    
    
17. Is this some kind of joke?
    
    No, it's not a joke. (Although we don't want participants taking this too seriously either.)
    
    
18. Does this actually work?
    
    Speed dating is a very fresh and popular concept, with hundreds of organizations holding events in cities worldwide. It has proven to be fairly successful, with around two-thirds of all partcipants coming away with a potential match.
    
    
19. What tips can you give to participants?
    
    Well, we'll keep it short. Learn to allow the other person to speak even though you might ramble on when you're nervous. Don't fidget even if you are really nervous. Don't talk about school as it annoys to be asked the same question from each participant. And... just have fun with it!
    
    
20. I signed up through the website, but never heard back from you guys. What gives?
    
    We apologize if this happens, but very often Hotmail users may not receive our emails. Basically, we often send bulk emails (bcc) to several participants at once, so Hotmail treats our messages as "spam" and these messages then get sent to your Junk folder. Additionally, Hotmail is notorious for email delays that can be days to weeks. For both these reasons, we encourage that people not use their Hotmail address when contacting us (or signing up). We suggest that you use a McGill email address, or, you can sign up with Yahoo Mail as an alternative to Hotmail.
    
    
21. Do I have to sign up on the website for every event? Or, do you keep our name on file for future events?
    
    In the participation form, there is a checkbox that can be checked if you'd like us to keep your name on file for future events. If you have already checked it, then you do not need to sign up again in the future.
    
    
22. I've seen ads for "McGill Turbo-Dating" and "Abbott Dating"... what's the story with these guys?
    
    Some say imitation is a form of flattery, but in this case, it's pathetic. "McGill Turbo -Dating" is a copycat organization which was formed just a day after McGill Speed Dating held its first event, offering identical events (however, they have never held an actual event).
    
    Their advertisements were rip-off copies based on our flyers (check out these images for a comparison: our original McGill Speed Dating ads compared with the McGill Turbo-Dating ads), and their name and logo were stolen from a European company (click here). Furthermore, their use of "McGill" in their name is unauthorized, since they are not an official McGill University organization. It's actually quite embarrassing to see how low these guys would go - in fact, we contacted them and they didn't even have the decency to apologize nor the audacity to identify themselves.
    
    Basically, they stole the idea and pretty much everything else from us (and others), so we see no reason for students to take them seriously. McGill Speed Dating is the only respectable organization, and we strive to maintain our image of integrity.
    
    
23. How is McGill Speed Dating different from other speed dating events on campus?
    
    Usually, when other McGill organizations plan speed dating events, they have a very specific target audience in mind. Moreover, they are doing so on a very irregular basis. We at McGill Speed Dating have held numerous events, conducted a lot of research, and are constantly improving thanks to feedback from participants. The experience and expertise we possess enable us to organize events that are a lot more fun, discreet, and professional.