The Denisonian

Issue date: 11/11/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Coral Breuer Junior Anna Peterson enjoys her time meeting new people during speed dating

Media Credit: Coral Breuer The speed dating event, sponsored by the Women's Resource Center, took place in the Bandersnatch last Friday (Nov. 7)

Some Denisonians are looking for love – or  just something different.

To assist students in this search, the Women’s Resource Center hosted its second Speed Dating event, which was held in the Bandersnatch last Friday, Nov. 7.

While some students showed up ready to meet their match or make new friends, others let the effects of alcohol boost their confidence.

The event was planned under the month’s theme of  “Dating and Relationships,” and was organized by sophomores Courtney Baxter and DiTalliana Patterson; and seniors Jamie McGowan and Becca Gardner, all members of the Women’s Resource Center. 

“Together we are trying to reconceptualize what the Resource Center is,” Baxter said.

During the event, each student was given a dating card where they could take notes on each person they met.

Afterwards, students were asked to go online and evaluate their dates under two categories: “Let’s talk” or “no thanks,” in which students were able to decide who they had chemistry with and who they didn't connect with at all.

Once everyone filled out their evaluation, an e-mail was sent to the student referring them to their potential match-ups.

According to Baxter, the Women’s Resource Center worked with a woman who organized this same event at The Ohio State University and worked for the online dating company called Cupid.

Last year, the event was not run through a professional program.

“It was surprising how many people showed up,” Baxter said. “For the most part, people had a good time.”

Twenty-one males and 22 females had registered online for the event at www.cupid.com by last Friday afternoon.

Junior Allie DeFries said she was thrilled by the opportunity to speed date on campus.

“I thought it was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said. 
She even said she thought the ambience of the room was very appropriate for the event.

“There were candles and it was really pretty,” she said.

Overall, DeFries said she thought the event was very well put together, but commented on the behavior of a few students.

“It was definitively an experience,” DeFries said. “One kid came up to me and was really crude.”

DeFries wasn’t the only one.

Senior Skyler Mosenthal said he noticed a few inappropriate questions being asked among the couples.

“One girl said that the last guy she talked to asked what kind of underwear she was wearing,” Mosenthal said. “That defeats the purpose, I think.”

Baxter said that this was not the message that the Women’s Resource Center was trying to promote.

“At least on our part no one was belligerent,” she said. “That’s something that the Center would not endorse. It was just getting to know people.”

According to Mosenthal, the commentators did not necessarily know how to react.

“People would have taken it differently if it wasn’t made into a joke,” he said.

Mosenthal was originally persuaded by his roommates to sign up for the speed dating event, but he also said that he wanted to find out what it was all about.

But these occasional crude comments did not stop people from enjoying the event.

Senior Rory Scott said that he went with two other friends and when he first signed up he was really excited, but once Scott started speed dating he felt extremely nervous.

As the night progressed, Scott said that everyone felt a more comfortable.

“Most people were intoxicated, but they didn’t go there just because they thought it was going to be stupid,” he said. “It took the edge off a little bit. I don’t think alcohol was the issue.”

Overall, students said they thought the event was very entertaining.

“I definitely got some laughs and some jokes,” said DeFries. “But no potential dates. I wasn't going to find a boyfriend. I was going to meet people.”

Scott commented that the three-minute time interval was too short, and that every time the bell would ring at the end of a round he would leave a girl on a cliffhanger.

“I would have to wait till the whole thing was over to tell them what happened in my story,” he said.

Scott even had a little success in finding a date.

“I got a number,” Scott said, on top of making a few new Facebook friends.

 Scott added that he thought the event was a success. “That was a great night! There was nothing bad about it. Everybody left with smiles.”

Mosenthal said he had a good time. “I thought it went pretty well,” he said.

“It was meant to address how relationships and dating are different at Denison,” Baxter said. “It promotes the old-fashioned ‘go-on-a date,’ which is lost. Going on a date one-on-one doesn’t happen as much as it used to.”

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools