Girls Go Speed Dating

Bristol’s singletons on the search for a hot date

Fed up of sifting through the Triangle’s drunken hordes every week? Me and my flatmate were so we decided to bite the bullet and try a new method of meeting people: speed dating.

Initially, the idea of being forced to awkwardly spend an evening with people you don’t know and won’t meet again felt slightly desperate, but I soon realised this was hardly any different to a night in Lounge.

By stripping away Lounge’s deafening cheesy music and inebriated fellow revellers, there was every chance that speed dating could be a fun alternative.

This is what I tried to convince myself as I hurriedly left the house feeling decidedly unglamorous. My stomach filled with dread at the prospect of walking into an empty bar and having to make awkward small talk.

However, I was pleasantly surprised on arrival as the bar was full of fellow speed daters and a live band was playing to help create a fun laid back atmosphere.

Finding your table was easier said than done

We proceeded straight to the bar to claim our free drink which was included in the £5 price and to get some ‘Dutch Courage’ before the dating began. Unfortunately we weren’t the only ones with this idea, and the wait at the bar was a long one.

With as many tables as possible crammed into the room there wasn’t anywhere to stand but the squashed bar are proved to be the perfect ice-breaker, allowing us to get a sneak preview of what the night had in store.

Once we had our drinks in hand confusion began as people started to sit down. With the sound system playing up, nobody at the far end of the bar knew what they were meant to be doing. After a brief delay everyone was seated, ready for the dating to begin.

Having gone along as an impulse, I suddenly realised I hadn’t thought of any topics of conversation and began to panic. We hadn’t been told how long our dates would be and I didn’t want to bore my dates to death with small talk about what course he was studying. I mean really, that is not what we came to find out!

A more civilised Lizard Lounge?

Once it started though, it turned out to be surprisingly easy. Some guys even managed to come up with fun questions such as what animal I would be if it was the end of the world.

After an hour we got a well needed break. Having to hold an interesting conversation with a new person every two minutes takes it out of you!

My flatmate and I compared notes and whilst things were mostly going well we had both had a few off-putting experiences such as the ‘boob starer’ and the boy who wouldn’t speak.

After buying another drink to get through the rest of the evening it was straight back to dating. By this point the room was hot and I’d met so many new people I felt we all needed some time to recover and talk to those we had liked.

However, we had to power on for almost another hour. I was starting to feel like I had run a marathon. My throat hurt, and my memory was beginning to fade. I couldn’t remember anyone’s name or even their face. It had all turned into a huge speed dating blur.

I doubt I was the only one who was struggling. Guys kept appearing opposite me looking haggard and hot, desperately asking how much longer I thought this was going to last. It’s not really what you want to hear as the first words from your date but I sympathised!

“It’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes”: Not good speed dating etiquette

Once the final cymbal sounded we were invited to drink at another bar as the Mandela Bar was closing, but all I could think of was getting out of my heels and into bed. It had been a fun night which I would definitely recommend but me and my flatmate were left far too hot and tired to carry on.

In the rush to leave, we both walked away with no numbers, despite meeting some interesting and entertaining people. If I had stayed and gone to another bar there were certainly people I would have talked to more but unfortunately it wasn’t to be!

How was your speed dating experience? If you think you met Mr Right but forgot to get his number let us know in the comments below. You never know, he might still find you!