Orange county LDS Singles Conference Tips
This is the Orange County LDS 31+ Singles Conference Tips Page giving suggestions and helping you to better get "the lay of the land" to make your experience at the Conference as smooth, stress-free, and fun as possible. Below is an initial list of DO's and DON'Ts.
DO arrive early and arrive on time for each event, especially the our devotionals, workshops, and service activities! The registration and check-in desk will be open 30-minutes prior to each event.
DON'T show up at 10:30 pm with your entourage thinking that's when things really get started. When in fact, you've missed most of the evening festivities already. Maximize your weekend, please avoid showing up fashionably late as you will miss many opportunities to connect with people as they arrive and engage in activities all throughout the evening.
DO realize that singles may be approaching the Conference differently. Some are seriously looking to find someone to date. Some are recently divorced or widowed and attending to find only support and friendship. Others just want to make new friends. Others want to be spiritually fed by attending the workshops and meetings but won’t want to dance. So the conference experience is what you make of it. Think of it as a design your own adventure… anyway you want to do it, is OK! Give yourself a break and come out and see what we are about!
DON'T assume that if you sit by the sidelines, it's up to the other person to make the effort. It's up to you to reach out as well. Don't assume the conference is just a "meat market". We are all individuals first with individual needs, and singles second.
DO make it a goal to meet and talk to people you have never met before, including those from out-of-state (or country), and those older and younger than you. Not everyone you meet is from California. In fact, most people won't even be from Orange County. Everyone comes to the Conference with the same concerns about meeting new people, a bit of anxiety and anticipation, so reach out and make an effort to say, “Hi” and strike up a conversation or just look up and smile at someone when you walk by them. Remember: just because someone talks to you or approaches you, it doesn’t mean they are interested in dating you. This Conference is all about making new friends and expanding your network primarily.
DON'T freak out if someone older or younger than you approaches you and asks you to dance. We’re here to have fun. My favorite Conference dance partner is a couple decades older than me (he’s a smooth dancer with some seriously mad dance skills) and I have a blast on the dance floor with him. I introduce him to ladies closer to his age that I meet at the conference and he introduces me to the “young pups.”
DO take advantage of the all new smaller group activities, speed mingling, meetups, after-parties, etc being offered this year, as ways to make new connections.
DON'T sit back and wait for everyone to approach you to strike up a conversation. :)
Ladies...DO be proactive and help the Conference Committee out by inviting your local guy friends that are single in your area to join you at the Conference, even if you are not personally interested in them on a romantic level. Your local frog can be someone else's Prince Charming and their frog may be your Prince Charming. Most guys are not as connected to social media or email lists so often may be unaware of the Conference, or they plan last minute to attend the conference unless someone personally invites them.
So the guys will respond positively (and feel appreciated) to get personal invites and reminders from you. Real world (face-to-face) invites are the most effective, followed by inviting them to the FACEBOOK EVENTS PAGE. If you want more guys to attend, it's up to the women (who often plan to attend with all their girlfriends months beforehand) to invite the men.
Ladies...DON'T over-exaggerate the ratios. While some smaller group activities may skew more gals than guys, or often in the past we have seen the opposite trending with more guys than gals, OVERALL the Orange County LDS 31+ Singles Conference averages a 60F/40M ratio or better depending on the year. If more women invite their local guys, that ratio will get even better, as we are striving for more even ratios this year.
Ladies...if you want the guys to approach you, DO detach from all your BFF's from time-to-time (and not all dance or sit together) so that the guys will be more apt to talk one-on-one with you (if you want). Don’t just play on your phone, look up and smile, be approachable.
Guys...DO Show some courage and ask the ladies to dance. Remember, it's just for one dance and helps you and your mojo, while giving her a chance to meet new people. Same concept applies throughout the conference for guys to bust a move, and get to know the ladies.
DON'T come across as creepy or violate personal space or immediately dive into talking about some drama or inappropriate topics or prior relationship(s)/marriages within the first few minutes.
It is also considered inappropriate to put people into the "hot seat" by asking the following questions: "So, what's your story?", "How long have you been single?", or saving the best (worst for last), "Why are you still single?" People will naturally be more open in sharing more about their life when they know the conversation won't turn into an interrogation.
DO remember it's important to keep conversations light, neutral, fun when meeting people for the first time at this conference. Be approachable and share your positive personality.
DON'T (and it's worth repeating) DON'T mention anything about your ex (ex-spouse and/or ex-dating partner) at the Conference. Bashing about your ex or diving into why prior relationships didn't work out, creates shame spirals and focuses on the negative. Perhaps focusing on the positive and remembering all the great things YOU have to offer others, can attract the right people in your life.
DO feel free to ask any questions, concerns, comments, or feedback to any of our Conference Hosts (they will have a "Host" badge during the conference) and they will be more than happy to assist you.
DON'T assume that if there's something or a situation that needs attention, there's nothing you can do to change it. Feel free to ask our Hosts to assist you.
(For guys)…DO put forth some effort in attire and grooming. That means get a haircut and wear attire you purchased within this decade, and that properly fits you. :) the ladies are making an effort and expect you to put your best self forward as well. DON'T assume the same shirt and white sneakers will win over the ladies every day, mix it up… :)
DO keep a positive attitude and roll with it. Sometimes, the schedule may be off, or an activity is not meeting your expectations. Keep in mind, our organizers have worked extremely hard for countless hours for months on end to make one of the largest 31+ activities of the year possible with the resources they have been given. See the glass half full as it’s very difficult to meet everyone’s needs, but we do invite and appreciate constructive feedback at the end of the Conference as it can help us improve for the next year. Unfortunately events are fluid, so we have to manage as we go once the event starts and sometimes unavoidable hiccups happen. Our committee will roll with it the best we can with a positive mindset, with our guests in mind and seek a quick resolution as best we can. Thank you for your patience and understanding if situations arise that were not planned as we are all volunteers working on this event and appreciate your recognition of such.