Vinson Pressley/ Contributing Writer
Speed dating may seem very 1990s, but the Student Programming Council is bringing it back this Valentine’s Day.
On Feb. 14, SPC will host a speed dating event in Wolfe University Center in rooms 221, 222 and 223 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
“The event is LGBT friendly and open to everyone in the community,” said Judisha Chetty, graduate assistant for the Department of Campus Life.
Speed dating is a way for men and women with busy schedules to go on multiple dates at once and potentially find a match. Most conversations last about 10 minutes before a bell rings and participants have to rotate to the next person.
The origin of this method for meeting people is a religious one: between 1998 and 1999, Rabbi Yaacov Deyo established speed dating to chaperone the meetings of young Jewish singles to encourage them to date people within the Jewish faith, according to healthguidance.org.
Today, this practice is common in religious and secular settings.
Students have mixed feelings about SPC’s speed dating event, but some see the potential benefits of it.
Kristen Castillo, a sophomore English major, believes the event will be fun because it gives singles with a busy schedule something to do that could potentially lead to a date.
Castillo agrees the event will give students a chance to meet multiple people at a time and increase their chances of finding a match since they will not be restricted to talk to only one individual.
Mary Jessica Villaruz, sophomore pre-nursing major, believes this type of event will reduce nervousness and build the confidence of the participants because each conversation will only be a few minutes.
“It’s an icebreaker. I think it’s perfect for some people who don’t have valentines,” said Villaruz.
Not all students feel this way though.
“I believe [speed dating] is effective for some people but not for everyone… not for me,” said Tania Centeno, junior accounting major. Centeno, who considers herself to be shy, said she would feel rushed due to the time restraints of the event.
Gabrielle Cazimir, a sophomore biology/pre-med major, has a less favorable view of speed dating thinking it is not an effective way to meet people. She also is “not a fan of Valentine’s Day.”
Cazimir believes that friendship is the best way to get to know a person, not a brief and timed encounter.
Despite the many views on speed dating and Valentine’s Day, SPC is hoping that this event will bring students together, have a high turnout and that students bring a good attitude. Even some of the members of SPC will participate in the event.
With chocolate covered strawberries and romantic music playing, SPC wants this event to be a Valentine’s Day getaway.
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