Give Some Get Some Speed Dating.

by Alex Steele

When I arrived at the Silliman dining hall last Wednesday, dozens of nervous but smiling students lined the tables which now donned bunches of chocolates and pink décor.  YCC members dressed as cupids in pink togas and garb directed people around with their bows and arrows.  Because I arrived late, there were only a couple spots left at the lesbian tables, so I took my place and waited for the head cupid to explain the rules:

All speed daters have a slip of paper on which to write the emails of their dates.  Each speed date was to last five minutes, after which members of one side of the table would shift.  Then, another date would commence.  After seven dates, we were to mark up the “yes or no” column of our papers to indicate the success of the particular dates.  Lastly, we turned the papers in to the cupids.

With a dimming of the lights and a blessing from the head cupid, the speed dating started.  The roar of simultaneous salutations and exchange of basic information made my first date a bit awkward, since we could not really hear each other.  The dates got better however, as we grew comfortable enough to lean across the table and shout across our basic information.  What college are you in?  What’s your major?  What are your interests?

While much of the dates reminded me of the frantic and excited acquaintances during my first few days at Yale, I managed to have some good conversations and meet some interesting people.  The “Camp Yale” feel of the evening was broken up when cupids dashed across the hall, tossing condoms at the tables and onto the laps of daters.  When my date motioned to put one in his pocket and then proceeded to replace it on the table, I jokingly inquired if it was too big, as in, to fit into his pocket.  (The condoms the cupids passed out were in rather bulky packages.)  This incited a bashfully indignant refute from my date, which was thankfully the most awkward of the night.

Four dates later, the event came to a quick end, and everyone rushed to the cupids, passing off their preference sheets.  If both you and one of your dates thought your date was successful, YCC would set up a “crush” on Good Crush, one of the event sponsors.  There was also a table of holiday treats as we exited where people picked up candy, bras, panties, boxers, fliers, and condoms – I suppose some of the dates were successful.`