The
Minnesota State University, Mankato
www.msureporter.com
THURSDAY AUGUST 25, 2016
Students race to MNSU’s Speed Dating Over 130 students attend premier Student Events Team event.
ELLYN GIBBS Staff Writer The CSU ballroom buzzed with nervous excitement on 7 p.m. Tuesday as students lined up to try their luck at Speed Dating, an activity hosted by the Student Events Team. Some had obviously styled their hair for the occasion or taken extra care with their makeup, in hopes of forming a lasting spark with another student. Others came more casually, simply in search of friends in their new home. As each student approached the table at the ballroom entrance, they received an ID number so they could remain anonymous
throughout the event. They also got a Tinder-themed piece of paper with a chart to mark their interest in the other people they meet. As
they filed into the ballroom, they chose seats at tables with four chairs, two on each side. At first, many sat alone, or in quiet groups of two,
T-Pain tickets on sale now MANKATO, Minn. – T-Pain, singer of hits such as “Buy You a Drank,” “Up Down,” and “Bartender” will perform for Minnesota State University, Mankato Homecoming on Friday, October 7, in Myer’s Fieldhouse. Presented by the Student Events Team and Hot 96.7, the concert will take place at 7:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 in Myers Field House. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The show will be free for Minnesota State University, Mankato students and will go on sale and pickup on August 24. T-Pain, whose song with DJ Mustard “Up Down (We Do This All Day)” featuring B.o.B returned him to a familiar spot in the top ten
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charts for 28 weeks in a row in 2013. Pain’s ‘Buy U a Drank” top the Billboard charts the summer of 2007 and has amassed over 84 million views on youtube. T-Pain has collaborations with Lil’ Wayne with “Can’t Believe It,” Chris Brown with “Kiss Kiss,” and Wiz Khalifa on 5 “O’Clock.” changes he has made. Tickets to the concert go on sale 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 24. Although the concert will be free to Minnesota State University, Mankato students. Each student will be allowed one free ticket and one guest ticket for $20. Limited student tickets are available. Tickets will be available to the public for $25. Taxes and fees may
apply. This event will feature four limited addition posters disbursed throughout the Mankato community. Hot 96.7 will feature a T-Pain yourself contest where the public can have their voices recorded at live events and then re-broadcast live on Hot 96.7with autotune. Please refer to Hot 96.7 Facebook website for details. Tickets will be available starting August 24 at www. mnsuevents.com or at the Student Activities front desk, CSU 173. The concert is for all ages. Parking in Lot 20 will be available for this event.
looking around with an air of expectancy. But the line outside lengthened, and at 7:15, there were still new participants swarming inside. By the time the event got rolling, over 130 students were deep in conversation. In a round of speed dating, students had three minutes and thirty seconds to get to know the person across the table from them. After the time ran out, they recorded their partner’s ID number and checkmarked whether they were not interested, interested in friendship, or interested in more than friendship. Then the Student Events team members told them which way to rotate so everyone was sitting across from someone new, and another round began. To help with conversation, each table had a list of prompts, such as, “Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?” and “What is your ideal date?” “It’s just a good way [to] capture the new students trying to meet new people,” said Brandin Schmidt, senior at MSU and president of the Student Events Team. Sure enough, the activity
was definitely weighted with freshmen and international students, both groups searching for their “niche” of friends during Welcome Week. However, there were upper classmen present as well. Schmidt said the team’s idea of a speed dating event stemmed from doing similar icebreakers at their own meetings. MNSU has done similar events in the past, but the last record of a speed dating event was five years ago, and there are no evaluations of how students hosted or performed. “We’re testing the waters again this year,” said Schmidt. “It’s definitely a revival of [speed dating].” The friendship aspect of the event removed some of the awkwardness in finding a potential date. “I’m from Virginia, and I’m just hoping for friends here,” said student #16. Most weren’t too concerned with finding the love of their life, but took a casual approach and remained open to anything. “Whatever happens, happens,” said #25 with a shrug. During the coming week, the Student Events Team will go through all the paper slips and email students who have mutual interest with someone they spoke to in the ballroom. Thus, the true results of their event remain to be seen. However, possibilities are bright. Judging by the numerous conversations and laughter that happened in the ballroom, a flood of new couples on campus would be no surprise.
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