REXBURG— BYU-Idaho President Alvin F. Meredith III and Sister Jennifer Meredith have encouraged students to go on dates the past year with an activity-filled event called Date Night.
They’re continuing the event this semester as well.
Campus Life Events coordinator Abby Kottkey has been organizing speed dating activities to give BYU-Idaho students chances to find a date to Date Night.
Kottkey said the speed dating activities have been popular, with hundreds of students attending.
“We didn’t really think it would be a huge draw for students, but we have been blown away by how interested people are. The first few times we did it, we had to turn away 200 people because there were such long lines and we didn’t have enough space for everyone,” Kottkey said.
Those who participate are matched in pairs and given three to five minutes to talk to their partner before rotating to a different person.
Kottkey and those organizing the speed dating activities provide ice-breaking questions to speed daters to help start conversations.
Some of Kottkey’s favorite ice-breaking questions are, “What is your gas station order?” and “If you could live in any fantasy world, what would it be?”
Kottkey said the purpose of the speed dating activities is to allow students to meet each other in a low-pressure environment.
“We’ve done it as a way to make sure everyone has a date for Date Night and just to make dating not so intimidating. It’s lighthearted. Just get to know people. Just start a conversation,” Kottkey said.
If you find a date, be sure to bring them to Date Night on Friday. The night starts at 6:30 p.m. at the BYU-Idaho Center with a 30-minute “dating session” with President and Sister Meredith, where they will share personal insights about dating and marriage.
For an overview of the activities at Date Night, visit the schedule and activity list.
The last speed dating activity before Date Night is on Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Manwaring Center on the BYU-Idaho campus.
Kottkey said all you need to bring to the activity is yourself.