The Black Student Union (BSU) of Southeastern held a speed dating event on Thursday, Sept. 23, in the Student Union Ballroom. Participants were encouraged to bring a canned good to lower the price of entry from $3 to $2. The event was composed of three parts, including traditional speed dating, a dating game and a mingle session when the night was over.

The participants started the night by turning in their canned goods and receiving their nametags.  The canned goods that were collected will go to the Tangi Food Pantry. To begin the activities, men and women began filling up opposite sides of tables that BSU had set up. As people started flowing in, all the spots that were set up were filled. With this, the BSU began their take on traditional speed dating.

Speed dating consisted of the women switching from man to man, and the men switched a few times as well. This gave the participants a chance to speak with multiple people at the event.

The BSU had a set of questions on the table for those who may have been nervous. These included basic questions such as “Where do you work?” and “Where are you from?” and “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

“It’s a great way to break out of your shyness,” said Cardarrius Murphy, a junior kinesiology major.

The BSU has been putting this event on for the last couple of years as a tradition. It is viewed more as a fun social event rather than as a serious love-finding process. They encourage participants to look for not only a relationship, but a friendship as well.

 “I am looking forward to meeting new people, having fun and seeing what the BSU is all about,” said sophomore Tyler Lange. “I am here for both fun and serious if it happens.”

After the speed dating part of the night, the BSU put on a dating game. One man was chosen to choose from three women, and one woman was chosen to choose from three men.

The chosen man and woman were blindfolded and listened as the seekers of their love answered a list of questions. At the end of the questions, the man and woman chose the person they felt answered the questions in a way that appealed to them most.

The winners of the game kicked off the mingle session with a dance to end the night. This was an opportunity for the participants to chat with anyone they may or may not have spoken to that night.

“I think I found friendships tonight,” said Mitchell Morgan, a freshman biology major. “I am shy, but when I get to know someone, I open up. I enjoy being different, and that helped me make some new friends tonight.”

For information on future BSU events go to their website at www2.selu.edu/orgs/bsu.