With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, ASI Beach Pride Events hosted a groovy-themed social dating event on Thursday evening, encouraging students to spark new connections through several interactive activities.
Whether they were looking for a potential romantic partner or a new friend, many students connected with other attendees on the basis of similar interests during one-on-one conversations and group mingling exercises.
“Everyone there was super lively, friendly and social, so it seemed like a good environment to hang around and meet new people,” said Cris Puiu, a pre-nursing student. “I just met some people and now we’re about to go to the basketball game.”
Mocktails, desserts and snacks were provided for the attendees during the “Mocktail & Single Mingle” portion of the event where students were encouraged to mingle freely while enjoying the free treats and refreshments.
Beach Pride Events’ main goal behind their speed dating events is to ensure that students have opportunities to socialize and network with each other in entertaining settings on campus, especially in a post-pandemic world.
“The ultimate goal with these events is to enhance the student experience on campus because we understand that students want breaks from their stressful routines,” said April Castro, ASI Beach Pride events coordinator. “We’ve seen how beneficial these events can be for the students’ mental well-being and their college experiences.”
Starting off the event, the enthusiastic blind speed dating game show showcased three student contestants competing to win a date with a mystery girl through a series of questions and discussions.
After asking the contestants to list their best qualities and pick-up lines, the mystery girl chose contestant number two, declaring him the winner of the game show.
“I liked the bachelor-bachelorette show they had at the beginning, that was a real kitschy and cute idea,” said Ulan Tagoylo, a studio arts transfer student.
ASI’s speed dating events are hosted on a first-come first-serve basis, encouraging students to attend early to skip the line.
For more information, students can check the organization’s event calendar for future speed dating events as well as other student community events.