A shot at love - with a grad student?

The gloomy days are over for graduate students who are single and ready to mingle. They can find their true love - at speed dating.

The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly organized its first speed-dating event on Friday evening at the Graduate Student Center.

Wenny Lin, vice chairwoman for student programs and a fifth-year medical student, set up a small committee to organize the event. Interested students registered at the Graduate Student Center, where the staff made sure there was an equal number of males and females.

Gina Calzaferri, a student in the Graduate School of Education, said the organizers were a bit wary of holding the event initially, as they were expecting a lot of no-shows.

Still, 34 students showed up. The event was "very well received," said Lin. Students didn't mind spending $5 if they thought they had a chance to meet their future love.

"It was the best time I've ever had," said third-year Law student Ravi Purushotam.

Since participants only had three minutes to spend with each other, many described the event as "fast," "hectic" and "definitely loud."

"It's hard to be witty while shouting," added third-year Law student Kathleen Choi, though she isn't opposed to the speed dating format.

"First dates can be painless and short," she said.

For others, the event was a pleasant surprise.

"It is the first time I've seen a university organize an event like this," said first-year law student Lorenzo Lentini.

Another student, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of offending potential suitors, said she enjoyed the event but "there was no true love."

"We met a lot of people from other graduate schools" so it was "a fun event," added third- year law student Margaret Tong.

Some students complained that the venue was too small and that there was "not enough privacy to write notes on a person," added Tong.

After the speed dating ended, participants were allowed to mingle with one another over beer and hoagies, while the organizers did the matching. If two participants liked each other, the organizers would make sure they had each other's contact information before they left.

Lin said GAPSA got the idea from a group of Cornell graduate students at a graduate student Ivy League summit held last November.

The event was co-sponsored by the Office of Health Education, which donated some condoms, lubricants and massage coupons, Lin said.

In the future, Lin said GAPSA plans to expand the event to include speed dating for the LGBT community as well.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.