Top 5 Tips for Online Sikh Speed Dating Events

Thanks to the COVID pandemic, we’re increasingly accustomed to working remotely and sitting through endless Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings. So, with the increasing uptake of hybrid working models and online meetings, the concept of virtual dating is not the alien concept it once used to be and even we’ll be arranging regular virtual Sikh speed dating events from 2022 onwards!

To help you prep we’ve prepared a handy top tips guide to get you ready to jump in to online Sikh speed dating.

Dress up as you would for an in-person Sikh speed-dating event

That’s right don’t sit there looking as if you haven’t made any effort, do at least spruce up your top-half, the part that’ll be visible on camera!

Wear your lucky shirt, jumper, blouse or whatever you wish, but stay away from anything that features overly complex patterns i.e., checked shirts, because they’re unlikely to come across well on screen.

Do also, comb your hair, do your makeup and even wear a fragrance – whatever makes you feel dapper and confident as it will come across, even virtually.

Dress your setting for the virtual date

Depending on the virtual speed dating platform, you might be able to apply a virtual background or maybe not!

Either way, you need to be prepared because it won’t just be you that’s being weighed up. If you are selecting a virtual background, have it prepared in advance and chose something simple with neutral colours. You don’t want anything that’s overly complex, because you want to keep the focus on you, but do feel free to select something that reflects your personality or aspirations.

Personally, we’d shy away from virtual backgrounds as it’s likely to portray that you might be hiding something. Just ensure that your background is clear of clutter and looks presentable, it could just be you curled up on a sofa with a plain wall behind you. Just ensure there aren’t any radiators behind you with clothes drying on them, or your parents / siblings waving in the background.

Get the right tech setup for your online date

Depending on the platform, most speed dating events will work with smart phones, laptops and even desktops. You just need to ensure that you’ve testing everything beforehand, from the camera to audio. Most events would provide you with a test link, where you can check that everything works as expected, so take advantage of this.

If you’ve got a dodgy webcam or mic on your laptop or desktop, then do consider getting a decent webcam alongside a headset or mic. You don’t want to come across all grainy or blurry whilst sounding like a Dalek. Oh, and do ensure there’s good lighting so that you don’t come across as a silhouette.

Lastly, on the topic of technology, ensure you have a strong and stable wi-fi connection or if using your smart phone alongside mobile data, ensure you have good signal strength, and enough data in your package.

Have a game plan for the virtual Sikh speed dates

Typically, you’ll have around 3-4 minutes per virtual date so be prepared with a simple set of questions to help you get a feel of what the other person is like.

You can pretty much ask them anything you want but don’t spend the time talking about each other’s jobs or families because you won’t really learn anything about the person. Ask them questions that will reveal their personality, things like, what the last movie was that they watched, favourite travel destination, their top Netflix recommendations or what the most important things to them are etc.

Remember, don’t be a motormouth and turn this into an interrogation. It needs to be a two-way conversation with an equal split of time.

Each virtual date is a new date

You may have just come off an awkward or disastrous virtual speed date, the camera may have frozen or something else didn’t go according to plan, but it doesn’t matter.

Do not let it ruin the next session. Just move on and get back into your stride because you might meet the ‘one’ during the event.