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Speed Friending

Speed Friending is a social event format designed to help students meet new people quickly and comfortably.

Inspired by speed dating, this event uses a custom Discord bot to randomly pair or group students into voice channels every few minutes — encouraging short, engaging conversations.

This format was extremely successful during the 2020–2021 remote year, when students were eager for online connection. While it has seen less traction in the return to in-person events, it remains a fun and creative option for virtual community-building.

🧩 What It Is​

  • Students join a Discord voice channel at a scheduled time.
  • A custom bot randomly reassigns users to different voice channels every 5 minutes.
  • Students chat in small groups or 1:1 for the duration of each round.
  • After a few rounds, the event wraps up with an open chat or optional hangout space.

⚠️ Things to Consider​

Participation Threshold​

  • The event relies on having a critical mass — too few attendees and the experience falls flat.

Bot Stability​

  • Ensure the Discord bot is tested ahead of time and can handle real-time reassignment of users reliably.
  • Have a moderator present to help troubleshoot and support new Discord users.

Volunter:Participant Grouping​

  • It's best to try to keep one volunteer who can moderate conversation in each group