At Yale, we have a tradition known as the "Screw." It is a semiformal dance that each of the residential colleges takes turns hosting, and it is kind-of a big deal for some. The whole idea behind screw is that your roommates and friends hook you up with a blind date. If you like them then you end up screwing at some point in the future, but if you hate them then your roommate screwed you over, everyone gets screwed!
I had no problems partaking in such an event. I set up my roommate with an eligible victim, and helped find dates for several of my friends. I even became invested in the success of these set-ups, monitoring them throughout the night. I, however, was extremely uncomfortable.
When my roommate found me a blind date, I could not hold myself back from figuring out who it was by extorting our mutual friends. I was extremely disappointed when I discovered who it was, largely because of my own fear of a blind date and uncomfortableness with romantics in general.
I decided to go with my friend Valentina, who has a long-distance boyfriend. In the end, it was actually a load of fun. I got to dance the night away with my friends with no worries about impressing a date or anyone for that matter. I got to go to a late-night run for falafel with no strange new additions to my life, and even got to stuff my face with nobody but my friends judging me.
It was a great night. I know that stepping out of one's comfort zone can be a good thing, but sometimes it is better to just do what feels right and have fun!
