Claiming a spot at a meetup takes about a minute, and the evening itself goes smoothly once you know the order of things. You find a meetup in the feed, sign up with the “Going” button, join the waitlist if it’s full and check in when you arrive. Each step is covered below, followed by a few house rules for a good evening out.
Where do I find offline meetups?
Every upcoming meetup is in the meetups feed. Each listing shows the date, time, city and venue, the spot limit and how many people have already signed up. The soonest meetups come first, so nothing slips past you.
Meetups happen in different cities around Israel, so start by picking yours in the feed filter. An evening close to home or work is a lot easier than a drive across half the country.
If you belong to a community, check its page in the communities section as well: it lists that community’s meetups and nothing else. They show up in the main feed too, but only members of that community can sign up for them.
You can browse the feed without logging in, but signing up requires an account. Community meetups are for that community’s members, meaning people who have activated its member card: you enter the XXXX-XXXX code on the card activation page. No card yet? Tap “No card? Ask a community leader” on the community page. Light plans don’t need a card at all: a confirmed email and being 18 or older are enough.
How do I sign up for a meetup?
Open the meetup page. You’ll find the full description, the venue address, the start time and the main button, “Going” (on paid meetups it says “Sign up”). One tap and you’re on the attendee list. The first time you sign up, the site asks for your date of birth, and you can’t sign up without it.
Usually there’s no waiting for the organizer to confirm: your spot is held right away. There are two exceptions. On 18+ dating meetups the button says “Apply” instead of “Going”, and the organizer approves every participant personally. On meetups marked “14+ with approval”, teens aged 14-17 send a request, while adults sign up as usual.
Once you’re signed up, the meetup page shows your status and often some practical details: how to find the entrance, who to look for, whether to bring anything. Read the description all the way through. Notes about parking, the floor or the intercom code tend to sit near the end.
What if the meetup is full?
Many meetups have a spot limit. The organizer sets it based on the size of the venue, and some meetups have no limit at all. While spots are left, “Going” puts you on the main list. Once they run out, the button is replaced by “Join the waitlist”.
The waitlist is a live queue. When someone who signed up cancels, the first person in line moves to the main list automatically. If that’s you, an email and a notification tell you the spot is yours. The earlier you join the queue, the better your chances, so don’t leave it until the last day.
What should I bring?
For a community meetup, bring your member card. The digital version is always on you: the QR code is in your Personal area, under “Member card”, and showing it on your phone screen is enough. Light plans don’t need a card.
- Your member card or the QR code from your account, to check in at a community meetup.
- A charged phone, since that’s where the meetup page and your QR code are easiest to keep.
- Cash or a bank card if you’re expected to order something at the venue, say a cafe, bar or restaurant from the business directory.
How does check-in work?
At a community meetup, the leader checks people in by scanning the QR code on your card or ticking your name on the list. The QR code only works at meetups of the community the card belongs to. You can also check yourself in: once the meetup has started, an “I’m here” button appears on its page. Light plans have no leader, so that button is the only way to check in there. A check-in adds the meetup to your profile, and the organizer sees how many people actually came.
How do I cancel my spot?
Plans change, and that’s fine. Canceling takes a couple of taps: open the meetup page and tap the button again. After you sign up it reads “You’re going”, or “You’re registered” on paid meetups. Your spot goes straight to the next person on the waitlist.
One friendly request: if you can’t make it, cancel well ahead of time rather than ten minutes before the start. There may be a queue behind your spot, with someone who really wants to get in. Canceling early is a courtesy to the organizer and to everyone who’s waiting.
Meetup etiquette
Offline meetups run on a few simple agreements. Here’s what keeps the evening pleasant for everyone:
- Arrive on time. At a small meetup, coming in late gets noticed and throws off the people who have already started.
- Don’t bring people who haven’t signed up. Spots are counted. If you want to bring a friend, use the “Invite a friend” button on the meetup page. Keep in mind that for a community meetup, your friend needs their own card for that community.
- If you sign up, show up. A silent no-show wrecks the organizer’s plans and takes a spot away from someone on the waitlist.
- Respect the format. The organizer sets the tone, anywhere from business networking to a quiet book club. Go with it.
Signing up for a meetup takes a minute: find it in the feed, tap “Going”, then check in with the leader or with the “I’m here” button when you get there. After that it’s just people talking face to face, which is the whole reason Tusovka exists.