We ran across an article recently that mentioned power dating. Did not know what this term meant and looked on the internet. What is power dating? We found two definitions for power dating in the Urban Dictionary.

1) Dating many people in a short space of time to maximize the chances of meeting someone you like.

2) In contrast to regular dating, where people meet for a couple of hours at a time and do fun stuff, power dating is spending large blocks of time together at a point in the relationship (usually early) when dating would normally involve far less.

The first definition is a variation of speed dating. The second sounds like pushing things along way too fast! Let us look at the two definitions and what they entail.

Power Dating As Speed Dating

We wrote about speed dating three years ago.

In a formal speed dating event, at a restaurant for example, either men or women are seated, while the other gender moves from place to place. “Dates” can be as short as three minutes and typically no longer than ten minutes. When the timekeeper rings a bell or simply announces that the “date” is over, participants move on the next date. The participants fill out a contact sheet before the event. This sheet provides contact information such as name, email, and phone number. After the event each person at the speed dating event has a list of the persons that they met. Contact information is provides to both individuals of prospective pair if both have chosen the other person from their list.

The point is to get to know a lot of people in a short span of time. This sort of event is often sponsored by religious or ethnic groups whose goal is to introduce people with similar background who might not otherwise ever meet. It is a first step in dating and may or may not lead to a happy relationship.

Power Dating As Intense Dating Early In The Relationship

The point of this variation of power dating is not necessarily to have sex on the first date but rather to get to know someone very well very early in the dating game. This approach may be useful for those who find it difficult to commit to relationships and feel the need to know a person very well before moving on. It also promises a very intense form of dating that may feel to the other person like a test which passing will lead to great success and which failing will lead to a dismal life. Whereas speed dating takes some of the pressure off meeting people, the intense early dating approach can cause ulcers unless it really is love at first sight.

Power Dating As A Test Of Love At First Sight

We have posed the question, does love at first sight last?

You meet someone and fall head over heels in love but, does love at first sight last? On this web site we usually try to take an objective approach to dating, internet dating, and the development of relationships. But, sometimes the truth is more in what we feel than in a logical and reasoned view of life.

To find out if love at first sight lasts the best approach may be to move in together and find out. This seems us to be the proper place for the intense relationship version of power dating.