Wednesday: Speed Friending! (7/5)

[Jared]

Wednesday: Speed Friending! (7/5) UPDATED!
The quickest way to meet a lot of friends in a little time!

Where: Metro 53
307 East 53rd Street Between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue
212-838-0007
When: Wed Jul 5 7:00 pm

Click here (http://www.thelunchclub.net/clubhouse/lc_event_detail.php?mode=detail&id=701) to go to the event details page for this event.

[Jared]

Hey guys - thanks to everyone for coming to Speed Friending last night. I was just wondering if you'd be able to contribute some feedback about the event, how it ran, and if you have any suggestions or advice for improving the Speed Friending process (aside from me cutting down on my beer consumption!) Also - I hope you'll all take advantage of our free private messaging to keep in touch with the people you met last night! Please post your comments in this thread for all to read.

Thanks!

jared

[eventme]

It was a great event, I met a lot of interesting people.

[NeroKalem]

I find that it's hard to communicate in the speed friending- the volume gets so loud, and so I end up deaf and soar-throated. Also, just the way the dynamics work out, 40+ people show up, and you get the opportunity to meet maybe a dozen of them.

This is what I would suggest- Have the speed friending, and in the middle of it, have a (minimum) half hour "mixing" period, where you go and mingle with any and everybody before returning to your seat.

During the summer, do you think this could somehow be an outside thing? Surely the acoustics would foster easier communication.

James

Hey guys - thanks to everyone for coming to Speed Friending last night. I was just wondering if you'd be able to contribute some feedback about the event, how it ran, and if you have any suggestions or advice for improving the Speed Friending process (aside from me cutting down on my beer consumption!) Also - I hope you'll all take advantage of our free private messaging to keep in touch with the people you met last night! Please post your comments in this thread for all to read.

Thanks!

jared

[Jared]

Hey Jim - I can understand how the volume gets a bit loud. I think it would be hard to have this kind of thing outside because you can never depend on the weather - but let's see if we can spread things out a bit more so people aren't so close together.

I like your suggestion about having a 30 minute break in the middle for people to mix it up - however, in the past, I've found that after 10 rounds or so, when we have the break, people are starting to feel a little burned out from all the talking. That's why we made the 10th round 15 minutes long last night, so you could have a break if you wanted it. Then, we went another 5 rounds or so, and people pretty much indicated they'd had enough, so it just became a mingling situation after that. I acknowledge that talking to so many people in so little time can be exhausting, so I don't know how we'd improve things for you to meet even more people. I think it's somewhat random, who you will meet - and I think people only have the capacity to really meet 15 - 20 people at most, before they're worn down - wouldn't you agree? Anyway, we'll keep thinking about it. Thanks for the feedback!

jared

[tamih]

I thought it was a great event also. So many people there. But I was getting tired by the end. I think the slow start might be part of it (and I know that is difficult to fix). Sore throat today, as I was trying to talk loud enough to be heard.

I am glad we stopped when we did, but I also enjoyed coming back and mingling with a couple people I had not met --- never would have heard a story about the 7 star restaurant otherwise. I was shocked to see how quickly the place emptied- I guess that would imply people might leave in the middle if there was a 30 min mingle.

Been talking to some friends about it today- they all want to be at the next speed friending. :) Tami

[sometimesdee]

Yes, the noise is definitely an issue; it was hard to hear people, even as they're screaming at you (since everyone else was doing so). However, I did find it much easier to hear at the booths than in the middle.

[eventme]

I think the only solution to the noise issue would be some kind of booth. I don't know - maybe checking out one of these old school bars where all tables are separated by walls?

[NicoleD]

Maybe limit each speed-friending event to a certain number of people? That way it would be easier to meet more of the people there, and it might help with the noise issue. Of course then there are fewer people to mingle with between and after. I also think starting on time and keeping a stricter eye on the clock could help with the fatigue level. But it was definitely a lot of fun! (And nobody complains when my throat is too sore for me to talk.)

[drummerman77]

hi,

maybe im alone in this opinion but i preferred a conversational free for all where you can talk to whoever you wanted at any given moment. The benefit to this set up is we can match the faces with the names but after the 25th table it got verbally exhausting for me. I liked meeting many of the people last night. Perhaps we can do a night where people with similair interests can group together; for example, athletes, musicians, performers, or something like that to create ice breakers?

[screnson]

This is a very good idea for an event and I'd like to encourage more of them. However, I think most folks thought it was too long. I've been to similar "speed" things with more managable rules: 5 rounds, break, 5 more rounds. By the time everybody gets settled to start and at the end of the break, it's a two-hour event, which is plenty. I'm sure people didn't mingle afterward because we had already been there for nearly three hours.

[Jared]

OK - I am hearing this - we need to add more breaks. How about we do 5 rounds, take a 15 minute break, do 5 more rounds, take another 15 minute break, and do 5 last rounds and then party? I'd love to get started on time, every time - but people tend to arrive 15 - 20 minutes late, which makes that difficult. But I think you're right, 15 rounds is more than enough. It's just that people often say "but I don't get to meet all these other people" - and my only answer is "How many people can you really meet?" :-) Anyway, more breaks, and we'll spread out the tables so it's easier to hear!

cool?

[NicoleD]

I would actually want something like ten minute breaks (so people can go to the bathroom and refresh their drinks) and end earlier, so people are more likely to stick around and mingle. I found it easier to meet new people when it was over rather than during the break. But I may be alone on that one.

OK - I am hearing this - we need to add more breaks. How about we do 5 rounds, take a 15 minute break, do 5 more rounds, take another 15 minute break, and do 5 last rounds and then party? I'd love to get started on time, every time - but people tend to arrive 15 - 20 minutes late, which makes that difficult. But I think you're right, 15 rounds is more than enough. It's just that people often say "but I don't get to meet all these other people" - and my only answer is "How many people can you really meet?" :-) Anyway, more breaks, and we'll spread out the tables so it's easier to hear!

cool?

[brad]

Jared:
Almost always i think that your events run great. I did not feel that way about speed friending last night.
If i had to design it i would make the following changes, but i do not know if others feel the same way as i do.
1. With a group this size, 4 minutes is long enough. I was very exhausted by the end of the night speaking with everyone for 5 minutes.
2. I would use some type a timing device, because at the beginning, there were times when i felt like i was speaking for about 10 minutes to the same person, both of us waiting for you to ring the bell.
3. That 15 minute bathroom break did not work for me, because i felt bad leaving the person to go to the bar, but i did not really want to speak to them for 15 minutes either. THat person should be the same length as everyone else and then the bathroom break is seperate.
4. The people that move never talk to the other movers and the people that sit, never talk to the other sitters. So at the 1/2 way point, i would have a 15 minute period where all the movers get together and talk with other movers and all the sitters get together and talk with other sitters, as a group mingle and casual thing.
I was still glad that i was there, and i hope that these suggestions were helpful.
brad

[Rob143]

Hey Jared- I like your suggested changes, but I think if the two breaks are ten minutes, that would be enough. Also, the way you said "This is an extra long round, so you can either keep talking to this person or take a break" may have made some people feel a little awkward. Anyway, i had a really good time and would attend one again.

[Jared]

OK - I am rethinking the Speed Friending format because of all this feedback, which is great. Thanks for sharing it! I really want Speed Friending to work well, and for people to enjoy it and not find it exhausting. I think it has the potential to be a long lasting, staple event for the club. So here's the new format I am imagining, and please do let me know what you think of it:

Arrive at 7:00 pm, check in. Mingle from 7 - 7:20, have drinks, no need to stay at your station during this time.

Begin Speed Friending rounds at 7:20 sharp - by this time everyone will have arrived, so we don't worry about new arrivals messing up the system.

We have 5 rounds of Speed Friending clocked exactly at 5 minutes - I will have a stop watch timer.

10 Minute break - You get up, leave your station, go to the bathroom, get a drink, breathe, mingle.

Return to stations - have 5 more rounds at 5 minutes each. At this point you will have met 10 people and spent 5 minutes with each. It seems to me from the feedback, this might be enough for people. Now - how to solve the issue of stationed people and movers not getting the chance to meet each other...

We move on to "Random Rounds!" This is where everyone gets up from their stations - the stations are no longer used. During the Random Rounds, you randomly pick a person you have not spoken with yet - at this point, it's up to you to use your gusto and approach someone. Now, during this portion of Speed Friending, it's ok to group up with 3 or 4 people at a time. It's random, and anything goes - as long as you speak to someone new during each round. However, when the bell rings you must either find a new person to talk to, or add a new person to your group, or merge your little group with another group. We'll have 5 to 7 Random Rounds, and by the end of these rounds, we'll be left with a room full of groups that are mingling with each other.

So this new format provides both structured Speed Friending, and the random "choose your own adventure" that people seem to be looking for.

What do you guys think? I really appreciate the feedback!

jared

[sometimesdee]

The "Random Rounds" have potential to be either a great way to meet more people, or one big ball of confusion. I guess the only way to know how practical it will be is by trying. I do wonder about those who don't have enough "gusto" to approach anyone? There may end up being a few wallflowers (part of the reason why I went to Speed Friending is because I don't have the gusto to approach random people).

[NeroKalem]

Perhaps a musical chairs element? Or would that just add even more confusion to it?

The "Random Rounds" have potential to be either a great way to meet more people, or one big ball of confusion. I guess the only way to know how practical it will be is by trying. I do wonder about those who don't have enough "gusto" to approach anyone? There may end up being a few wallflowers (part of the reason why I went to Speed Friending is because I don't have the gusto to approach random people).

[sometimesdee]

Then what happens to the person without a chair? :(

Perhaps a musical chairs element? Or would that just add even more confusion to it?

[NeroKalem]

Then what happens to the person without a chair? :(
http://i6.tinypic.com/1zbrudk.png

[NeroKalem]

In all due seriousness though- I suppose we'de make sure there's enough chairs for everybody

[sun_shine718]

I think having it on a weekend would be best....say a sunday afternoon. During the work week people have little time to mingle after the event. On a weekend people will have more time to socialize and meet those they didn't meet during the rounds.