It’s not always easy to make friends in college. There’s not much time in class to chat with your classmates, and outside of class it can be tricky to find a time when your friends are free to hang out. The Honors Speed Friending event held last Wednesday was a great chance to meet new people outside of my major.
The event played on the concept of speed dating, setting a playful tone with plastic roses and tiny Eiffel Towers spread across every table in the Honors Lounge. Free pasta was available for people who wanted to grab a bite while they chatted. The décor and the food helped create a relaxing atmosphere that really helped people grow more comfortable with each other. Before the event even started, people were starting to chat about the decorations. The tiny plastic cheese wedges were a particular favorite of mine.
To kick the event off, the HAB Events Team handed out a set of menus and explained how the event would work. Each “menu” contained a set of icebreaker questions to help get conversations started. We were encouraged to spread out through the room and find people to talk to, using the menu as a jumping off point.
Conversations got started quickly. Some folks found a room to hang out with their friends, and others introduced themselves to someone new. As everyone got comfortable and found ways to connect with each other, the Events Team handed out contact sheets so students could exchange contact information.
It was great to see how quickly students were able to hit it off and start making friends. When I started a conversation about D&D, several other students jumped in with their thoughts about the game, and soon enough a whole group had formed around the hobby we all shared. Grace Pfluger, a sophomore, told me that she didn’t play the game itself but that she really enjoyed Vox Machina, a recent Amazon Prime original based on Critical Role.
After five minutes, we were encouraged to start talking to someone new. Some folks found a new conversation partner, but others were having so much fun that they didn’t want to move! Smiles and laughs were had all around as folks discovered how much they had in common with their fellow Honors students. I met a group of freshmen who had collected all of the plastic cheese wedges in a Starbucks cup. We spent some time discussing what to do with the cheese, and eventually decided to leave them in Justin Ritchie’s office at the end of the event.
As folks finished their food and the event reached a close, many students exchanged contact information so they could keep in touch. Overall, everyone had a great time at the event! I really enjoyed the chance to make new friends, and I hope I get the chance to see the folks I met again soon!