On a rainy evening in Bengaluru, singles stepped out of their comfort zones to meet new people and forge fresh connections at a Speed Dating event hosted by Bangalore Times Life.Styled Club. The night was filled with games, playful dares and relaxed conversation, giving attendees a chance to set their phones aside and connect face to face.Breaking the ice, one dare at a time The idea behind Speed Dating was to let participants meet several people in a relaxed setting, get a sense of each other’s personalities and move beyond the usual experience of dating apps. After brief introductions, participants were encouraged to interact through games and dares, making it easier to strike up conversations with strangers. The activities helped break the initial awkwardness, with participants laughing, taking on challenges and getting to know one another. What started with a little nervousness soon turned into lively conversations.Content creator Sim Pereira believes such events are a good way to meet people outside one’s usual circle. “For someone who has moved to Bengaluru recently, these kinds of events are great because they put you on the spot to step out of your comfort zone. Everyone here has come with an open mind, so it makes it easier for people to get along,” she says.She also feels such events can help people who may otherwise feel lonely in a new city. “It’s an excellent way to network, get to know people, especially in a place like Bengaluru, where it can be very easy to feel lonely. Even if you just want to make friends, it’s amazing,” she adds.New city, new connections For Swarna, a financial consultant, the evening was a refreshing change from the usual ways of meeting people. “This event helped me step out of my comfort zone. The games and activities were easy, and conversations with strangers flowed very naturally and comfortably,” she says. Having attended similar social events in Pune, Swarna says this was her first such experience in Bengaluru. “I see a lot of people who are new to Bengaluru and don’t know the city much. Such events help people socialise more easily,” she says.Aryan, a young start-up founder, thinks such events are great for introverts. “For me, it was about overcoming nervousness and meeting new people. I’ve been to business summits before where I met a lot of people, but this was more casual and fun. The dares were also a great way of bringing out the best in us,” he says. He feels Bengaluru is the right city for such experiences. “Bengaluru is a happening place, and things should always be happening. This is something Bengaluru people need,” he adds.
For someone who has moved to Bengaluru recently, these kinds of events are great because they put you on the spot to step out of your comfort zone
Sim Pereira, content creator who joined the event
Friendships over swipes As the session progressed, the initial hesitation gave way to laughter, conversations and new introductions. Not everyone may have walked away with a date, but the evening offered something equally valuable: the chance to meet people beyond their usual circles, make new friends and discover connections without the pressure of a dating app.For Sim, that is perhaps the biggest takeaway. “You tend to hang out with the same kind of people in your friend groups. But here, there is a really good mix. You meet people from different walks of life,” she says, adding that meeting people offline offers cues that online interactions often miss. “You can kind of sense who they are through body language. There are more cues for you to know who a person is.” What is Life.Styled ClubLife.Styled Club is a curated community for those who don’t just follow a lifestyle, but style life itself. The club brings people together through exclusive experiences designed to spark conversations and build new connections.Event partner courtesy: Small World
