When Pride decided to sponsor a speed-dating event, nobody knew what to expect. Awkwardness, probably. Hilarity, certainly. Romance? Perhaps. Nobody expected the instant amicability, or the easy conversation. But the biggest surprise? All the chairs were full. Speed dating was so popular, people had to sit on the floor.

Pride held the event on Sept. 17 in the Community Center, which was draped with rainbow banners and paper chains. Sidewalk chalk graffiti heralded its coming, declaring in eye-catching colors that “All Are Welcome” – and all came.

Surprisingly, several attached students came as well. Some came at their significant other’s insistence, some came with their significant other for a bit of fun. A few came to chase away the blues of a failing relationship.

Upperclassmen came, and all were surprised to see each other. “I thought it would just be a freshman thing,” Allison Martin, senior, admitted. First-years attended, of course, but the even mix of classes startled everybody.

Part of speed dating’s popularity may have stemmed from scenes in films such as “Hitch” and “The 40 Year Old Virgin.” These movies made speed dating famous and stereotypically hilarious. For most participants, these movies were the only example of speed dating they’d ever seen.

Nobody had done anything like this before; many were nervous, but all were eager. Within minutes of the event’s beginning, the daters were in a cheery uproar. They shouted, they gesticulated, they mimed the drums. They asked each others’ majors 269 times.

Unlike the more common gender-based speed dating, this event allowed students of varying sexual orientations to mix. Acknowledging the potential confusion, Pride Secretary Ryan Sanders, a sophomore, said, “We’re Pride. We like to mix things up.”

And mix things up they did. “It’s like musical chairs with people,” said senior Dash Gott, a participant, and the description couldn’t have been more apt.

When asked if the differing sexual orientations would hinder the “dates,” participants pointed to Guilford’s universal acceptance policy. “It’s Guilford, people run around naked,” said junior Kalyn Howard, a participant.

First-year Sam Becker, another speed-dater, added emphatically, “It’s only awkward if you make it awkward.”

After all, students weren’t there to find hook-ups. They were there to make friends. As senior Yahya Alazraa, a participant, said, “It’s like speed-friending, like drinking coffee and going on Facebook.”

With the large number of students at the event, making friends was almost inevitable. Pride is known for fostering connections between students, and speed dating was no exception.

“Speed dating came to be . because of the large turnout of students we have been having at our meetings,” said Daniels. “We thought this would be a fun way for students to get to meet everyone in a one-on-one setting.”

Speed dating kicked off a series of events in celebration of Pride’s 35th anniversary. For those of you unfamiliar with the club, Pride is Guilford’s chapter of LGBTQQIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Queer, Questioning, Intersexual, and Allies).

Concerned that Pride has not been a serious organization in the past, Daniels described upcoming events, such as the club’s annual Coming Out Ball.

“Pride this year is striving to reach a balance of social events as well as educational ones, too,” Daniels said.

If Pride can cultivate the kind of interest displayed in speed dating at future events, Daniel’s wish will certainly be realized. As Sanders said, “People just want to get to know each other.” Speed dating provided students with an opportunity to do just that.