For many singles, this trend toward group activities based on common interests breaks new ground in the dating arena. ¡°In a sense, we¡¯re going back to the future,¡± says Vallone. ¡°It¡¯s as though the ice cream social of the early 20th century has been kicked up several notches.¡±
Indeed, Highlife Adventures¡¯ 3,000 Chicagoland members would be hard-pressed to find an ice cream social among the over 65 activities planned each month. Those who crave adventure can go parasailing, caving, or experience being a fighter pilot for a day. Music aficionados can revel in a hot night of cool jazz or attend a rock star fantasy camp, while those with cultural interests can attend a performance of the Chicago Symphony or a Frank Lloyd Wright tour. Members who enjoy the club scene can participate in a trolley pub-crawl, a moonlight party cruise, or events like ¡°Martinis and Manicures¡± or ¡°Pots ¡®n¡¯ Shots Pottery Class.¡±
Vallone explains that Highlife Adventures¡¯ approach serves to bring people together in a pressure-free setting. ¡°When you attend an event, you¡¯re meeting people you already have something in common with and who are all there to meet you,¡± she says. ¡°And, when you¡¯re having fun, you let your guard down and are more likely to meet the right person.¡±
This new dating trend is in stark contrast to the bar scene of the 1980s, the one-on-one matching services of the 1990s, and the speed dating phenomena that peaked a few years ago. ¡°Not all singles like to hang out in bars, many don¡¯t care for the pressure of sequential one-on-one dates, and most people find that speed dating is too superficial,¡± says Vallone. And, while online dating may appeal to the college crowd, many of the 25- to 45-year-olds in Highlife Adventures¡¯ membership have ¡°been there, done that.¡± According to Vallone, ¡°Meeting people online can be fun, but also fraught with pitfalls. Singles fare better when they put down the mouse, get out of the house, and meet people face-to-face.¡±
Highlife Adventures helps ensure their members¡¯ experiences are positive by prescreening potential members in person and having a company representative at each event. Ultimately, Vallone concludes, ¡°We don¡¯t match anyone. Instead, we provide unique, fun events where groups of singles can meet one another and find what they seek ¨C whether it¡¯s a friend, a date, or a soulmate.¡±
Article written by Highlife Adventures Editor.
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