Although going to a networking event is contextually very different from speed dating, the expectations are shockingly similar; in both cases, you get a limited window to chat up a complete stranger, assess if he or she is into you, and try to get his or her number (okay, business card – but there’s usually a number on the card, right? There was a write-up in New York Magazine a few years ago discussing an interview prep guide distributed by the career services office at Columbia Business School reminding students to brush their teeth before going on interviews.

In a country with 118 boys born for every 100 girls, the main function of the festival seems to be making all of China’s single twigs feel inadequate. ” to a handful of partnerless Chinese friends, I got back the same curt reply from three: “Sleeping.” I’ll know better than to ask next year.Disgusted by the company of my left hand, I decided to go out to one of those speed dating events. Keep in mind, I worked at Burger King, so the best clothes I could afford were some mediocre dress shirts and tattered khaki pants I bought at Wal Mart during a clearance event.I walked into the event, trying to display the shred of confidence I had left.The good news is that, somewhere in your dating history, you have already (probably) had to feign interest in something you didn’t care about and have already honed the valuable skill of smiling and pretending to pay attention just long enough to eventually switch to another topic. What’s a heck of a lot easier than the arduous, anxiety-inducing process of thinking of a fabulously charming or funny thing to say extemporaneously?For starters, having a couple of pre-prepared lines is quite handy.