Sophomores to let surveys decide futures in romance

For some, Valentine's Day is a time for flowers, chocolates and candlelit dinners with those they love. But for those sophomores who find themselves unattached and unwilling to leave all the work to Cupid, the Sophomore Class Board has a solution -- Data Match, a computerized dating service. Now through this Thursday, sophomores have the opportunity to discover their potential soul mates by filling out a Data Match survey -- which consists of a series of multiple choice questions including "What is your ideal first date?" and "What do you really think of Britney Spears?" The results of the survey will provide the students with lists of their most compatible love matches. It is then up the student to track that person down. "If people's love lives are anything like mine, then they need this service," exclaimed College sophomore Chaz Maffey, the School of Arts and Sciences representative. And many sophomores have already taken part in the free dating service, whether it was of their own free will or due to the coercion of friends. Expectations for the service were varied. "I am looking to find a young beauty," College and Wharton sophomore Joey Shapiro expressed. "While I believe that data and numbers are no match for love, I figure what the hell, I have nothing to lose." College sophomore Ev Boyle saw the service as a way to facilitate dating at Penn. "There are not many couples at Penn," Boyle said. "People are very focused on their studies, and this is a good way to meet people." Sophomore Class Board Vice President Paige Fitzgerald explained that the dating service is "a way of promoting spirit and class unity." Many students seemed to be looking for class love -- however, others did not have as much faith in such a dating method. "I think it's all in good fun, but I wouldn't take it seriously," College sophomore Julie Fishman admitted. "I wouldn't actually seek the person out." The questions themselves posed a challenge for some. "'Hit me with your best shot,' what does that mean?" asked one sophomore who was trying to respond to a question that asked students to choose "the song that describes your love life best." Shapiro admitted that he was torn between answering some of the questions honestly and lying a little so that he could meet a "respectable girl." Although Maffey promised that the dating service is a "sure fire way to find the perfect match," the catch is that this love connection will come -- if it does at all -- "just a couple days after Valentine's Day." So it looks like sophomores will have to rely on Cupid after all.

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