Graphic by Natalie Kulak ’21
BY GRACE FITZGERALD ’20
This week we set up first-years Aleasha* and Daphne* on a movie date in Skinner Hall, where the pair found a room stocked with movie snacks and a copy of “The Princess Bride.” Aleasha is a “dynamic and dedicated person looking for someone caring who she could make laugh.” Daphne is a film studies nerd looking for someone to watch movies with and be close to. Their similar senses of humor and a love of film made them seem like the perfect match! Here’s how it went...
Aleasha: A bunch of my friends and I signed up for MoRomance. Honestly, I was feeling a mix of kind of wanting a relationship but also just wanting to make friends.
Daphne: I kept hearing about this hookup culture on campus and all the fear mongering about it. I’m like, “Where are the girls? I want to make out with some girls!”
Aleasha: I was super anxious beforehand. I haven’t been on a lot of dates, so I had no idea what to expect. Before the date, I was in my dorm trying to set up a bullet journal. I told my friends I’d be back at 8 p.m. at the max, which didn’t happen…
Daphne: I was trying to go into the date with as few expectations as possible. I just wanted to have a fun time and get to know someone new. Before the date, I was a little nervous, I was thinking about what to wear. I also cleaned up in case she came back to my room.
Aleasha: We got there at the same time which was a little weird because I’m one of those people that’s always obnoxiously early. It was also kind of strange to be in an academic building, but it worked. When we arrived there was popcorn and the movie was waiting for us on the screen.
Daphne: I was feeling very tentative at the beginning of the date. She didn’t seem like my type, she’s much shorter than me. I’m 5’8. She was also less femme than I was expecting, very New England prep type. I think we had met earlier at an admissions event.
Aleasha: I hadn’t met my date before. She looked vaguely familiar but that may just be because we’re on a really small campus. She seemed just as nervous as I was which was reassuring.
Daphne: Initially I didn’t catch her name and was like, okay, we’re just gonna roll with it. There was a bit of small talk before the movie started.
Aleasha: It was pretty casual. We watched “The Princess Bride” which was a lot of fun because I love that movie. We had both already seen it so she didn’t mind my not being able to shut up for the whole thing. It’s one of those movies that you can make fun of but still really enjoy.
Daphne: We watched the movie and did running commentary, as you do. Afterwards we talked for a while, and once the screen went dark I suggested that we go to dinner. We sat and talked in Blanch until 10 p.m.
Aleasha: Once the movie ended, we started talking about ourselves. It was kind of awkward at first, because we had only just met each other; but as the date progressed it got a lot better and she was super nice.
Daphne: We talked about our exes, which I guess you’re not supposed to do. We talked about Harry Potter. She memorized all the movies and I have a novel-length fanfiction that I have composed in my head, so it was great to have that in common.
Aleasha: My impression of her got better as the date progressed. At first I thought it was going to be really uncomfortable, but we started to get more comfortable with one another and it worked pretty well. We had good give and take in the conversation. There was an even amount of listening and talking.
Daphne: I wasn’t surprised that we were matched, especially after I found out that we both like Harry Potter. She’s not as into politics as me which is probably a good thing. I’m a little worried I talked too much. When I apologized for that, she reassured me that she loves listening to people.
Aleasha: We had some stuff in common, but not a lot, which was nice. I was surprised that we were matched, but I also had no idea what to expect, so it all worked out.
Daphne: I told her about the people in my love life right now. After the movie finished I wanted to tell a story about my boyfriend. I told her that I’m in an open relationship and she was perfectly fine with it, which was not the reaction I was expecting. I just assume that most girls who like girls aren’t interested in dating someone who has a boyfriend.
Aleasha: It was kind of funny because we were saying goodbye but then she was like, “Do you want to do this again?” and I said, “We’re gonna need each other’s numbers for that.” The date ended with a mutual, “Let’s do this again after spring break and see what happens.”
Daphne: As we got talking, I realized I really like her, she’s cute and funny. We’ve been texting and I’m looking forward to going on a date with her again. I think she’s adorable. I told my boyfriend about her.
Aleasha: When I got back to my room, I sent her a text saying goodnight and that I had a lot of fun.
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.