Ben and Story met at 8 p.m. at the Rotunda.
Story: I have been on a blind date before. The first blind date I went on was a double date, so I had a friend there to buffer the situation. I felt more apprehensive about [this one].
Ben: I was expecting to enjoy an evening of fun and stimulating conversation while getting to know a beautiful girl better.
Story: When I first got to the Rotunda, it was really dark out. I thought I saw a shadow of a person, but it turned out to just be a shadow, so I sat in a rocking chair and waited.
Ben: My first impression was that she was a very pretty girl and that she was not awkward at all.
Story: It was really dark so I couldn’t see what he looked like. I was kind of flustered when we first introduced ourselves, and then I realized I had forgotten his name five minutes later.
Ben: She used the “How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice!” pick up line on me, which amused me.
Story: We then walked across the Lawn into the light and I got a better look at him. I thought “Oh! He’s cute!” Then I asked if he had any plans for us. We walked back to his swag red Jeep.
Ben: We were going to go to the Corner, but decided to take a trip down memory lane and spend a romantic evening drinking wine and eating cheese in my Jeep next to old dorms.
Ben: The conversation was very balanced. She was very easy to talk to and seemed genuinely interested in hearing about my strange life. She had a very unique perspective on the world and interesting experiences.
Story: At first, I thought he had read my application because he wanted to go for a ride, so I was skeptical of his motives. But then, he told me he had been an RA, so we decided to take a trip down memory lane and check out old dorms.
Ben: We both like riding in cars, and we’re both looking for spouses.
Story: The conversation was very natural and friendly. We started off talking about our families, and then he told me he had been homeschooled, which, at first, I thought was really weird until I remembered I had also been homeschooled.
Ben: She spilled Ritz crackers all over my car. It was cute.
Story: At one point, he said he felt [like] he was saying too much about himself and wanted to hear what I had to say, which I thought was very considerate and observant.
Ben: I could see myself going out with her again as a friend. I don’t think there was a romantic connection.
Story: There were mostly friendly vibes. We had a lot in common, though. We were both homeschooled and love to read and enjoy white wine.
Ben: [At the end of the date] I drove her home and dropped her off. I paid for the wine and cheese, but brought home the leftover food.
Story: [I would rate the date an] 8.9.
Ben: [I would rate the date an] 8.