Thinking about trying this new speed dating craze? It’s a fast, surprisingly fun way to meet other single people. While you might not find a match the first time out, the more often you attend, the better your chances of finding someone who is worth getting to know. And if nothing else, it’s a great venue to practice flirting with minimal risk.

The time allotted for getting to know each date varies depending on the group sponsoring the speed dating. Hurry Date offers just three minutes, while 8 Minute Dating obviously allows 8 minutes, and there are more variations as well. With such a short amount of time, what should you talk about?

Let’s talk strategy first. With just minutes to connect with a prospective date, what’s the best way to spend that time? To make a good impression, create a fun and comfortable exchange. Ask questions that will help determine if the two of you can carry a conversation. No matter how curious you are to discover if your speed date meets your “datable criteria,” save those interview questions for later. If you don’t manage to enjoy the time, you’ll never get a chance to find out anything else.

Start off with a smile. People often decide if they like you or not within the first 15 seconds, so do your best to appear confident and look like you are having a good time. When you smile, you put the other person at ease. That’s always a good strategy for getting to know someone.

What topics are good for these “mini-dates?” Here’s a list of conversation starters to get the ball rolling easily. These are opened ended questions that require a person to provide real information. Avoid yes/no questions which tend to create dead ends. And, don’t forget that if you use these questions, be prepared with your own answers in case the tables are turned and you get asked the same thing!
# Tell me about your favorite vacation? What made it so good?

# If you had a day off next week and plenty of cash, what would you do?

# What makes you smile?

# What’s your favorite kind of food?

# If you could drive any car which one would you choose?

# What’s your favorite holiday memory?

# If you were an animal, what would you be?

# If you could try any job for one day – what would you choose?

# What do you do to relax?

# What’s your favorite movie and why?

# Would you rather spend a day in the woods or at the beach? Why?

# Tell me about a sporting event you’ll never forget

After your date responds, say something to acknowledge him/her. You may even share your own perspective on the topic or say what you liked about the answer. Don’t worry about interpreting anything during the conversation itself. Just make a mental note if you had fun with the person and leave the rest for later.

The most important thing about speed dating events is to relax and enjoy meeting new people. Acquiring the skill for easy chit chat will serve you well in the long run. Even if a speed dating event produces no matches, you still practiced flirting and talking to the opposite sex. You never know when you’ll meet “the one” or who will introduce you to the right person, so get out there soon!

Chances are that the reasons you are over thirty and still single are the very same things that will make it difficult to date now. It is not always about finding the right person, you also have to be the right person. As hard as it may be to admit, dating after 30 may require some behavior modification on your part because, as you can see, whatever you are doing right now is not working. If you are a workaholic whose job has always come before their personal life, it may be time to reevaluate your priorities. If it is a fear of commitment that has been keeping you from having successful relationships, until you address that problem it won’t get any easier.

Dating is difficult at any age, no one is arguing that point. Still, it does seem that once you enter the third decade of your life the singles pool starts to empty out a bit. Some people think they have to start lowering their standards, but there are still a lot of great single people your age if you know where to look. You are still allowed to be just as picky and discerning as you were in your twenties.

There are a lot of reasons that dating in your 30′s can actually be the best time to date. Men tend to be more established and stable by the time they’ve reached their thirties, not to mention mature. You have a better chance of finding a man that actually wants to go to a wine tasting with you instead of convincing you to drive him and his buddies to the Incubus concert. Women in their thirties are often much more confident and independent than they were ten years ago. Nothing against the twenty-something girls, but they can often be a little needy, which is great if that’s what you’re looking for but a nightmare if you’re not.

It’s the age of the internet so you had to know this was going to come up. Online dating is bigger and broader than it’s ever been before. Though people still meet up randomly in chat rooms and hit it off, now there are personality profiles and background checks involved. Blind dating has gone high tech, but don’t get so caught up that you forget people have been meeting without the internet for centuries.

Good old-fashioned dating is a lot less common these days, especially as technology becomes a larger part of our lives. There are still ways to meet a prospective mate face to face, starting with first names instead of screen names. You can volunteer for your favorite charity, hospital or organization and it serves several purposes. Not only will it surround you with people who share your interests, but you’re giving something back to your community in the process. Sports leagues can also be great ways to meet people if you’re the athletic type. Even when you’re not meeting someone special you’re having a good time.

Whether you have been out of the game for a while and you’re returning or you’re a regular that just hasn’t found that special someone yet, dating can be tough. It’s basically trying people on for size and seeing how they fit. You rarely ever find perfectly fitting jeans in the first pair you try on, they may not even be in that store. The best thing you can do is just enjoy the shopping trip and when you least expect it the right ones will find you.