Graphic by Natalie Kulak ’21
BY GRACE FITZGERALD ’20
First-year Taylor* was looking for someone she would be happy to spend time with. Elliott* — also a first-year — was looking for a partner with complimentary vibes. Both envisioned going out for coffee and getting to know each other as their perfect date. This week we set Taylor and Elliot up on a date to get coffee before visiting the Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College. What could be more romantic than a walk amongst dinosaur fossils on a winter day? The two met on the PVTA and here’s what happened…
Taylor: Before the date I was so nervous, I had more anxiety than I do during the 12:15 p.m. lunch rush at SuperBlanch!
Elliott: I don’t go on many dates so I was a little nervous. I live really far from the bus stop and was so close to being late for the date. I told some of my friends I was going on a MoRomance date and they seemed really excited.
Taylor: I recognized my date — they actually live on my floor. I’m our hall’s senator and I send out the Senate notes, so I recognized their name from my Facebook posts.
Elliott: I happened to know her, so I was a little bit taken aback. I did anticipate that I might know the person but it was a little strange to see them in that context. We live in the same dorm, but we never run into each other. I get a lot of Senate emails from her every week so her name was familiar to me.
Taylor: I see them quite often on my floor and it was really nice to meet them and have a deeper conversation, more than just a “hi” in the bathroom.
Elliott: It was really nice to meet her formally. We talked on the bus and got to know each other and went on from there.
Taylor: We had similar tastes in movies and music, but our academic interests were really different. They’re really interested in music so that was cool to hear about.The coffee shop was really busy, and there was nowhere to sit! We got a drink and ended up sitting outside, but luckily the weather was pretty nice.
Elliott: Our conversation was really casual. We talked about how we’re liking Mount Holyoke so far, our families, personal preferences and all that. After we had coffee we headed over to the Beneski Museum. We got lost on the way there. Finally, when we got there, we walked around the museum and talked a little bit. That was really fun, just looking at all the fossils and rocks. I’m not particularly interested in geology but it was very cool and eye-opening! She seemed really interested too.
Taylor: The date was really fun, but a little awkward at first. It was easier as time went on, especially as we were trying to find our way to the museum. Even though we got a little lost, we both enjoyed exploring the campus and the museum.
Elliott: Then we tried to get back to the bus but we missed it by five minutes, so we ended up spending more time in downtown Amherst. We got ice cream at Bart’s, which was kind of a spontaneous moment, because it wasn’t arranged for the date.
Taylor: One conversation would sort of spark the next one. We told stories about our lives, and our future plans.
Elliott: The date was really fun, but it might have been a little awkward for her because I’m not much of a conversationalist. She made an effort to keep the conversation going.
Taylor: I was kind of surprised that we were matched. My friends and I had been speculating that it would be someone who I kind of know, and that’s exactly what happened, and it ended up working out really well. As the date went on I realized I didn’t have anything to be nervous about.
Elliott: We don’t really have much in common but that’s what made the date interesting. I guess I’m used to talking to people with the same interests so it’s nice to get to talk with someone whose views are a little different than mine.
Taylor: I’m really excited to have gotten to know them a lot better. I definitely feel that I have a better idea of them as a whole person now that I know their story.
Elliott: Talking to her made me realize that you have to talk with someone to know who they are and what they are really like. The date made me reconsider how I think about other people, which is interesting because I don’t get to do this sort of thing a lot. It was good to get to know someone on that level.
Taylor: I’m excited to be friends throughout our Mount Holyoke experience. We’re both first-years so we’ll be here for the same amount of time.
Elliott: We got on the bus back to campus, went into Blanch and parted ways. We haven’t talked about seeing each other again, but I’m assuming we will run into each other on our floor.
Taylor: We’re probably just going to remain good friends. I’m glad that I signed up for MoRomance and I’d really recommend it to people as a way of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.
MoRomance is a student-run matchmaking service run by Flori Needle ’20, Gina Perry ’20, Grace Fitzgerald ’20 and Maya Rhode ’20. These interviews have been condensed and edited for clarity. To sign up for MoRomance, visit mountholyokenews.com/moromance.
*Names have been changed for anonymity.