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), and our third couple is one who did just that…
Name:
Oisín (O)*
Ben (B)*
Gender Identity:
O: Male
B: ‘Male (?)’
Sexual Orientation:
Both: Homosexual
Year:
O: 2nd
B: 3rd
Faculty:
O: HS
B: AHSS
What are three key qualities which you look for in a partner?
O: 1. Kindness
2. ‘Good sense of humour.’
3. Ambition
B: 1. Understanding
2. Extroversion
3. ‘Good sense of humour.’
What are your three biggest ‘turn-offs’ in a partner?
O: 1. Rudeness
2. ‘Being boring.’
3. ‘No drive.’
B: 1. Short temper
2. Rudeness
3. ‘Socially unaware.’
What are your greatest attributes?
O: ‘I like to think that I’m kind, fun, energetic, confident, ambitious, and fashionable.’
B: ‘I would say I’m witty, empathetic, thoughtful, and perceptive.’
What are a few of your interests?
O: ‘Fashion, art, plant care, music, reading, science, and tarot.’
B: ‘Pokémon, (animated) films, books, and pancake making.’
When were you last in a relationship?
O: ‘Never.’
B: ‘Never.’
When did you last go on a date?
O: ‘Last March.’
B: ‘Also never.’
Why do you want to take part in this process?
O: ‘Over the past 6 months, I’ve learned that I would rather take risks than live for the idea of a “what if.” I might as well take risks and see what happens; I can’t live forever!’
B: ‘A friend recommended it to me.’
Do you believe that the Covid-19 pandemic has detrimentally affected your love life?
O: ‘Not really, it was pretty shite to begin with!’
B: ‘Not particularly, as it didn’t really exist before.’
On a scale of 1-10 (ten being most keen, how keen are you to currently meet someone?
O: 10
B: 7
Why did we match Oisín and Ben, you ask?
The similarities between some of Oisín’s and Ben’s responses to the questions we asked them were striking! This was particularly true as they discussed their turn-ons and offs. In some cases, Oisín and Ben’s written responses matched each other word for word.
When we interviewed Oisín and Ben, it became even more obvious that they are both incredibly compassionate, kind, and open-minded individuals. We thought that it would be nice to match two such lovely people together.
We also were very aware that Ben finds extroversion a very attractive quality in a partner. Oisín certainly fit the bill in that regard!
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?
O: ‘They were cute.’
B: ‘He was cute, talkative and nice.’
Did these impressions change as the date progressed? If so, how?
O: ‘They were very quiet.’
B: ‘Not really, they stayed the same.’
Did your date live up to/defy any expectations that you had when signing up for the process? If so, how?
O: ‘I tried to have no expectations.’
B: ‘I tried not to have any expectations.’
Describe one thing you particularly liked/like about your date:
O: ‘Their interests.’
B: ‘He was fun to talk to, good conversationalist and clearly very understanding.’
Why do you think that you were matched with your date?
O: ‘I’m really not sure.’
B: ‘There were one or two qualities he might have mentioned about himself that I would have discussed as something I wanted in a potential partner.’
Would you like to see your date again? Why/why not?
O: ‘I’m not sure. We didn’t have much chemistry.’
B: ‘Most likely not, I just didn’t feel any particular spark romantically.’
What is the current status of things between you and your date?
O: ‘We’ve followed each other on Instagram, but that’s all.’
B: ‘We’re following each other on social media, but we’re not talking much.’
Could you see this status changing in the future? How? Why?
O: ‘No.’
B: ‘Probably not, I personally did not have romantic feelings towards my date.’
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there’ll be romance blossoming between Oisín and Ben any time soon. What is lovely to see, though, is the respect and appreciation that the pair hold towards each other! I’m sure you’ll agree that this is so evident in their evaluations of their matchmaking experience.
Oh, and in case you were wondering how the pair felt that Covid-19 had impacted their date:
How did the Zoom format affect your date?
O: ‘I don’t think it affected the date at all.’
B: ‘It felt much more casual than I would have expected, which was nice. The date was able to go on and end without becoming awkward.’
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?
O: ‘Maybe?’
B: ‘I don’t think so, but I would say if they did I couldn’t see how.’
*Names have been changed to protect the participants’ identities.
