The TN2 Magical Matchmaking Service was designed to help willing singles meet someone new in a healthcare-guideline-compliant manner. We, as an editorial team, matched participants based on sexual-orientation, relationship experience, interests, turn-ons, turn-offs, and a bunch of other, relevant miscellaneous information besides. Not only did we get the singles to fill in an EXTENSIVE Google Form, but, once we had identified potential matches, we made them sit down and chat with us before we let them meet their potential new loves.
When I say ‘meet,’ I do have to remind you (though I’m sure the experience is seared into your memory) that we did enter Level-5 for quite a long chunk of the past semester. We gave the participants the option to either have a Zoom date with as much of a twist as we could manage, or to postpone the date until we were allowed to hold it in person. Most of the couples opted for immediate Zoom dates (I imagine because they were fed up of seeing my name in their email inbox), but our fourth couple opted to wait and meet in person…
Name:
Ronan (R)*
Grace (G)*
Gender Identity:
R: Male
G: Female
Sexual Orientation:
R: Heterosexual
G: ‘Queer, but I’m looking to date men at the moment.’
Year:
R: 4th
G: 3rd
Faculty:
Both: AHSS
What are three key qualities which you look for in a partner?
R: 1. Intelligence
- Individuality
- ‘Incredible levels of physical attractiveness.’
G: 1. Humour
- Intelligence
- ‘Fun.’
What are your three biggest ‘turn-offs’ in a partner:
R: 1. Disinterestedness
- Dishonesty
- Does not express themselves alliteratively
G: 1. ‘They’re self-involved.’
- Ignorance
- ‘Being rude to waiters/waitresses.’
(4. ‘Pulp fiction is their favourite film???’)
What are your greatest attributes?
R: ‘Modesty, metatextuality, consistency.’
G: ‘I like to think I’m nice and fun to be around. I’m also extremely loyal. I love my friends and family more than anything and would do anything for them. I do my best to be a conscious citizen and to make the world a little better in any way I can.’
What are a few of your interests?
R: ‘Reading, writing, running, Rorschach tests.’
G: ‘I love reading and writing. I also love films of all types and can find just as much fun in a bad movie as a good movie – sometimes, even more. I’m obsessed with really trashy B list films from the 70s in particular and would love to get someone else addicted. I also just have a lot of fun grabbing a coffee and chatting in the park. I just like to hang out and have fun, and good company is better than anything. Except for a croissant, I’m a sucker for a croissant.’
When were you last in a relationship?
R: ‘Never.’
G: ‘Never (unless you count some embarrassing and unsuccessful Tinder dates).’
When did you last go on a date?
R: ‘Early September.’
G: ‘Last year.’
Why do you want to take part in this process?
R: ‘You’ve Got Mail is my favourite Nora Ephron movie.’
G: ‘I think it could be really fun and, honestly, I want to meet some new people – especially now since it’s hard to do that! Also, finding a little romance is always very intriguing!’
Do you believe that the Covid-19 pandemic has detrimentally affected your love life?
R: ‘Yes. I’m not sure I spoke to a woman during my six months at home, family excluded.’
G: ‘Yes. I don’t really know that many people outside of my friends (who are smart enough not to date me) and I spent most of my summer looking after my parents, so there aren’t really any chances for me to meet someone in person now that classes and society events are all online (although I do try to flirt through zoom, to no avail).’
On a scale of 1-10 (ten being most keen, how keen are you to currently meet someone?
R: 8
G: 9
Why did we match Ronan and Grace, you ask?
Ronan’s and Grace’s shared interest in the arts was clear. Both stressed that they enjoyed reading and writing, and we inferred a common appreciation of vintage film. Ronan’s alliterative application-form responses indicated that he was a man of enough artistic flair to suit Grace’s preferences. The pair’s responses also showed us that they were both humorous people, with the ability not to take themselves too seriously. It was clear, though, that there were certain matters that Ronan and Grace felt strongly about. Their strong social consciences were an additional factor in prompting us to match Ronan and Grace.
Now, let’s see how the pair felt their date went when we caught up with them a week later…
What were your first impressions of your date?
R: ‘My date was good-looking. Her clothes gave me the impression that she studied arts, and her accent that she was from the US. She seemed confident, if a little nervous’
G: ‘He was really nice. He had a really lovely smile and was super open with me right away.’
Did these impressions change as the date progressed? Is so, how?
R: ‘They didn’t, but there was plenty more to get to know about her too.’
G: ‘If anything, it only got better. He was so nice and was easy to talk to.’
Did your date live up to/defy any expectations that you had when signing up for the process. If so, how?
R: ‘I expected the date to be pleasant but not to lead anywhere romantically. Both of my expectations were met.’
G: ‘I try not to have too many expectations in general, but he definitely exceeded any expectations I did have. The date wasn’t awkward at all and was quite a lot of fun.’
Describe one thing you particularly liked/like about your date:
R: ‘My date is a smart woman and shares my interest in the arts.’
G: ‘He was quite funny, and he didn’t seem to mind too much when I went on long rants (I realize that is two things, sorry).’
Why do you think that you were matched with your date?
R: ‘Probably because of our shared interest in the arts.’
G: ‘We both study Arts subjects, and we both enjoy creative writing, so I guess that was the main connection.’
Would you like to see your date again? Why/why not?
R: ‘We have arranged to meet again because we seemed to enjoy each other’s company. I do not think we will go on a third date as she doesn’t seem like the right person for the current iteration of me; I don’t know how she feels, however…’
G: ‘Yes, we actually have another date planned. Romantic context or not, he was just a really nice guy who was easy to talk to and would be fun to be friends with.’
What is the current status of things between you and your date?
R: ‘We are still in contact and will meet again. I do not plan on making things romantic, at least on the basis of the first date.’
G: ‘We have a coffee meet-up planned soon so good, I hope.’
Could you see this status changing in the future? How? Why?
R: ‘I think/hope we will continue to be on good terms, and that we will see each other around college and on social media.’
G: ‘I mean we’ll just have to see, I guess. I definitely think the future could be positive.’
They say that the greatest love stories often originate in friendship, and Ronan and Grace seem keen to become firm friends. Whilst it might not be the love-at-first-sight connection we had initially hoped for when matching out couples, I think Ronan and Grace have come through the process better off for having met someone nice, natty, and new. Plus, personally, I don’t think that the door is fully closed on the possibility of romance between the pair…
Oh, and in case you were wondering how the pair felt that Covid-19 had impacted their date:
How did your decision to postpone your date and to be able to meet in-person affect your experience?
R: ‘I was very glad we got to meet in person. A bar would have been better I suppose, but the coffee shop we met in was quiet and the long chat we had there allowed us to get a good impression of one another.’
G: ‘Meeting in-person definitely helped things not feel as awkward. It felt really natural talking to each other in that manner which would have been harder over zoom.’
Do you think that your answers to any of these questions would be different if this process had taken place B.C. (before Covid-19)? How? Why?
R: ‘Astonishingly I think this dating experience was fairly unaffected by Covid-19. That’s a first.’
G: ‘I’m not sure. I wasn’t as open to doing things like this BC, so I guess being a part of this entire experience was really different for me. It was just really nice to meet and learn about a new person.’
*Names have been changed to protect the participants’ identities.
