Winter weather couldn’t get in the way of love Wednesday night, as Freshman Council hosted its popular event “The Dating Game.” Students gathered to watch lucky contestants ask a series of questions to a panel of potential romantic interests in the search for true love.
Despite the snow and wind outside, the event pulled in a large and vocal crowd, packing the Russell House Ballroom to the brim.
Host Kevin Anneken led the game, in which a single bachelor or bachelorette fielded dating-related questions to three participants, who answered them in an attempt to win the contestant’s high regard. The catch: the trio was hidden from the contestant’s view.
Questions included classics like “Describe your perfect date” and “What’s your theme song?” Some got more creative with eccentric picks like “If aliens abducted you, would you tell anybody?”
Many of the questions and answers developed an amusing rapport that invigorated the snowed in audience. At times the audience seemed to be at odds with some of the participants.
“If you had to choose one menu item at Waffle House to be, what would you choose?” asked one contestant.
“I’d probably choose Chocolate chip pancakes,” replied one of his potential suitors, to the great disappointment of the audience. “It’s Waffle House!” yelled one audience member. “They only serve waffles!”
But at other times the audience was in full support of the provided answers.
“What is your catch- that is, why are you single?” one female contestant asked.
“I think my standards are too high, I’m just holding out for the perfect girl,” said one contestant.
“I think my main problem is that my mom’s standards for me are too high,” said the next, to raucous laughter from the audience.
At the end of each grouping’s question period the audience was particularly eager to add input to the bachelor or bachelorette’s choice. Frenzied attendees yelled out the number of their favorite choice to the contestant.
Elliott Fry, placekicker for the Gamecock football team, and Ryan Bailey, Student Body Vice President, headlined as surprise celebrity guests for the event.
A raffle also kept the crowd’s attention between sets as Valentine’s Day related items were given out to lucky winners.
“It was an event that had been held in the past and had been successful,” said Freshman Council member and first-year political science student Skylar McClain “We hope that it turns into a sort of legacy from our year.”