Sunday, 11 February 2024

What is a Curated Meet?

4 strangers meet in Tariff and Dale in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. All they know is, they have a lot in common. 

I’m one of them this rainy, cold Tuesday night in February. I’ve responded to a meetup called Socials Manchester – formerly Young Professionals Socials in Manchester – and this meetup group operates a little differently to others. It’s a ‘Curated Gathering,’ or a ‘Curated Meet,’ a play on words that took me an embarrassingly long time to pick up on. When signing up to the group, the applicant is forwarded to a multiple choice questionnaire – a ‘psychometric test’ of sorts – in which they input details of hobbies, interests, background, occupation and aspirations and other character traits. Behind the scenes, the organisers then group the respondents into clusters of 4 people – named by colour - who they expect would get on well. I’m in ‘violet group,’ and we’re given a WhatsApp group chat, a meeting time and a location. 

Thankfully this gives me time to dart next door to craft themed bar Pen and Pencil and throw some food down me.

 

The group itself seemed a cool bunch - 2 other guys and a girl – and we chatted about careers, goals etc. I’ve tried to keep the chat going, but Friday was the last message. We will see what becomes of it.

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