Matchmaking in minutes

"Hello, I'm number 46."

And so the speed-dating bonanza began.

In speed-dating, which Southern Oregon University's Student Activities put on for the first time Thursday night, often potential suitors go by numbers rather than names.

How speed-dating works is, a number of participants, presumably strangers, sit across from one another and, for two minutes, converse and try to feel out a connection before the time is up and they move on to the next person. Thursday night, the Redford lounge in the Stevenson Union of the SOU campus was packed with nearly a hundred students looking to do just that.

Marvin Woodard, Associate Director of Student Activities introduced the evening, before handing the microphone off to the evening's emcee, Paul "Papa Bear" Davis, who kept things brisk and energized. "This is a great way for students to meet each other," said Woodard. "We get people to meet and talk who otherwise may not have. It's really more like 'speed-meeting' than 'speed-dating'."

And, at two minutes a pop, and in a tight packed room of a hundred eager students, it's almost more like speed-screaming. Still, the conversations unfold, usually picking up speed at around the one minute mark. Number 71 wants to do make-up in a mortuary. Another speaks of her former experience with AA. One more is related to a former co-worker of her speed-date partner. Still another is really loud. You can't learn everything about a person in two minutes, but it's surprising how much you can.

But for those whose conversation skills were lacking, the event organizers handed out question lists, including 'what's your favorite movie,' 'what's your favorite color,' and the ever-popular, 'what's your sign (baby).'

"I came to try this out and for the experience," said SOU student Ashley LeVan. "I'm a little nervous." Residency Advisor Heidi Hess came, "hoping that the girls on my floor will come to. I'm just here to enjoy it." Alyssa Maciag saw the event as, "just something to do. It's a little awkward to be here, but I hope to maybe make friends."

But, after things were going for awhile, no one really seemed nervous anymore, in fact, everyone seemed to be having a great time. When asked if any romance was going to be found that night, Woodard replied, "I don't know. I'm married."

"We had a brainstorming session last summer," said Annie Gaines, Assistant Club Advisor and assistant to Woodard. "We show lots of movies and such, but there's always single college students going, 'oh, I can't get a girlfriend,' so we figured we'd give this a try."

In addition to an extensive poster campaign, earlier in the week members of the Club Council donned formal wear and wafted through campus distributing fliers advertising the event. "Last week we dressed up as pirates to promote our pirate-themed dance. It seems to be working; maybe (costumes) are our new thing," said Gaines.

"We should have more mixers on campus," said Hassan Harris, president of the Black Student Union and a Student Senator. "If more people get to know each other the climate will change, which is what we want."

How the connections of the evening were formed, in the formal sense, was that each participant got to pick five of their interview-dates, by numbers, and turn them in at the end of the evening. If any numbers matched, then the participants personal information will be available to one another; name, phone number and email.

Woodard decided that if any couples formed out of the evening and were still together by Nov. 15, they would be entered in a drawing for a dinner for two at Shojis.

"I think this is a useful event. I hope some of these people actually get to know each other, not just tonight, but when they see each other on campus," said Harris. "That's what college is about right? Experience!"