On Friday, February 16, the second February Friend-zy event took place, hosted in the Commons by the IWU Student Activities Council.
In this lively competition, students answer questions asked by the host in order to win the prize of a date from a student also on stage – one that cannot see them and that they cannot see either.
Kennedy McDonald, one of the winners of last year’s event, described what it was like to be one of the candidates.
“We each had a string of three paper hearts around our neck, and we couldn’t see who we were really competing for, because there was a curtain. The host would ask a question, and then we would all have to answer, and then the date would write on the whiteboard which answer he liked best,” McDonald said.
If the date didn’t like a candidate’s answer to the question, they would have to tear one of their paper hearts from the string around their neck. The last one standing would win the date.
McDonald said she liked the winning date she went on last year.
“It was fun. We were definitely kind of awkward. Nothing came of it, which is totally okay. I’m actually dating someone else now, so it all worked out.”
Carissa Watkins was a date in this year’s event. She was also a candidate last year.
“I did it just for fun. I wanted to go ax-throwing, and last year I did the candidate, but this year I wanted to do something better. And then I got the date,” Watkins said.
Watkins said she preferred being the date.
“I was chilling. I didn’t have to answer any questions, I just had to hear people.”
Alexis Sutton, the marketing director for this event, assisted onstage and helped create this event.
“We started this last year actually, because we have a January event and we have a March event. But there was like this weird gap in the middle, and we wanted to incorporate Valentine’s Day. But also, we need to do something for our single people,” Sutton said.
This year’s version of the event was a bit shorter than last year’s.
“We were supposed to do four rounds, so two girls and two boys, but just because we didn’t have enough candidates, we decided to lengthen the two dates that we had,” Sutton said.
Sutton estimated that around 500 people attended February Friend-zy last year. But while the event is very popular for spectators, finding people to actually participate has proved to be a challenge for SAC.
“It seems very simple, but it’s like pulling teeth to get people to do it. Seeing it all come together and finally happen is really exciting for me.”
Perhaps after the excitement of this year’s February Friend-zy, more IWU students will want to participate in next year’s matchmaking madness.
