Friendship is difficult. What is more difficult is putting yourself out there.
On Sunday evening, in an area usually designated for live music and a couple of beers, 17 strangers gathered together with the goal of making friends.
The event began over a year ago at Athentic Brewing Co. with a fed up Jessica Martin and her girlfriends.
“We’re here just having fun with my friends but complaining, you know how dating is awful,” Martin said.
Martin explained she was tired of having to answer the same questions every time she matched with someone new, and she desired an environment where people could get past the surface-level topics.
“The owner is always here, like he’s here today as well, but we knew he was sitting right by us so we just kind of yelled at him like hey why don’t you do a meet up thing,” Martin said.
And so, “Speed Dating” was formed, and it later blossomed into other events such as “Making Friends Speed Dating.” Martin has these events catered towards certain age groups, the LGBTQ+ community and neurodivergent people.
For people like Scott Gold, this event provides a fresh start.
“Separating from my work was not a positive thing, and I lost a lot of contacts. And so making new friends is important,” Gold said.
Gold retired from his position at the U.S. National Poultry Research Center 14 months ago. He admitted that he lost half of his friends in the process, and now he is just trying to fill time and rebuild.
Jake Ware has been to a few of Martin’s gatherings. He has participated in both “Speed Dating” as well as “Making Friends Speed Dating.”
“I have a lot of social anxiety, and I’m really passionate about helping other people who deal with that,” Ware admitted.
He also said he believes that one of the main challenges in the modern world is not having a designated place just for conversation.
“You know it’s like you always have to be doing something. And I don’t know for me that makes it more weird,” Ware said.
He explained that is why he appreciates Martin’s events, because all they are there to do is talk.
For Cristie Hawkins and her girlfriends, this is just a little something to spice up their lives and get them out of the house and the automotive repair shop that she owns.
“Us girls decided that we were going to grow old having fun,” Hawkins said. “We just kind of Googled all these events in Athens. I bought my best friend a planner, and I bought myself one and we just started loading it up.”
She explained that even though this was just supposed to be a fun night out with her girlfriends, she had many meaningful conversations and she was able to give advice to some of the younger attendees.
“Making Friends Speed Dating” brought together members of the community that each have their own story and motive for being there and created something fruitful. Some might not have come away with a new friend but as Hawkins explained, for some it is more about putting themselves out there.
“It ain’t even about tomorrow,” Hawkins said. “It’s about tonight.”
Olivia Marascalco is a senior double majoring in journalism and English with certificates in news literacy and publishing.
Show Comments (0)