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“It Takes Two” aims to change dating scene

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Listening to The Next Big Thing contestant, Golden Ash, and earning free coffee for the first 50 people, students packed into the second floor of Pour Jon’s to attend the “It Takes Two” event.

The event was organized by a group of seven John Brown University students from the Marriage and Family Living class to create awareness attempting to break the myths of dating all across campus.

“It was to bring people together, to get to know each other and break the mold of dating,” Meghan Cushman, a part of the class, said.

The night included a talk from Meghan Cushman, a sophomore family and human services major, and sign ups for group dating.

Cushman, in her speech, challenged the audience on their perceptions of dating.

As such, Cushman described the term “frugaling,” which originated from the University professor Nick Ogle.

Ogle’s housemate was hanging out with a girl all the time but they never made it official, Cushman retold.

“Ogle got so frustrating with the whole thing that he finally said, ‘They’re . . . frugaling!’ Frugal being a word to describe someone who is careful with money . . . spending just little but never fully committing to something,” Cushman said.

She also said that a myth they are trying to bust is that two people of the opposite sex can’t eat together or talk with each other without everyone around them assuming they are in a relationship.

“You can go on a date with someone without ever thinking of marriage or even about having an official relationship. Going on a date is to get to know someone, and people outside of JBU do this all the time!”

Cushman believes for the mindset at JBU to change, two things should happen: friends are mature and not jumping to conclusions, and the guy and girl are confident and do not second guess when they are hanging out.

In her response to the event, senior Laura Nelson said that it was helpful to define the terms.

“I’m looking to start to do the things they talked about with my friends,” Nelson said. “I already like having dinner with them without it meaning anything more.”

Nelson also agreed that the setting was really comfortable.

“It was a good idea to have Golden Ash. They played love songs that warmed up the room,” said senior Seth Kaye.

The lead singer of Golden Ash, Steve Sullivant, approved of the preparation with free food and venue. However, he felt the speech could be more focused and planned.

The group will also be collecting surveys to pair two women and two men or two couples up on a group blind date.

Sign- ups will continue in Walker Student Center until Friday.

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