College Students Can Search For Love Online Without Fear Of Social Exile

    
    
       Long gone are the days when online dating sites were reserved for the emotionally unstable, socially-inept 30-somethings of the world. Either love has become more scarce, or people are just becoming more honest about how hard it is to find that special someone. At New York University, dating websites like OkCupid and DateMySchool are a rising epidemic among female students.  

I     In light of the notoriously large gay male population of NYU, and general difficulty of meeting people in the big apple, the women of NYU are turning to dating sites as a last resort. “I found it kind of hard to meet people at NYU," said NYU junior Liz Smith*, who has been on OkCupid for one month.  "And I don’t really like getting picked up at bars."

      Kelsie Davidson, a student of NYU's "Spring in NY" program, has found it especially difficult to meet men due to the short duration of her time in the city.  That's why she joined DateMySchool.  "When I heard about DateMySchool, I thought, worst-case scenario, it would be a good place to meet some potential guy friends in the city, and best-case scenario, I could meet a guy I'd want to date."

      Others have joined dating sites as a means of testing the waters before jumping right in after a break-up--like NYU junior Sophia House.  "It seemed like a way to scope out the dating scene a little bit without getting right back 'into it,' so to speak," said the OkCupid user, who made a profile on a friend's recommendation.

      And then, of course, there are those who join for kicks. "I'm only on OkCupid because I was really bored the night I made it," said NYU junior Raven Troup, who has had her OkCupid profile for less than a month. "I'm considering deleting my account, because it's too creepy for me." 

      It's true--dating sites have not yet become "creep-proof."  "I've exchanged messages with a few people that seemed pretty promising," said Troup. "But then one guy sent me a picture of his junk, and another guy got mad at me when I didn't respond right away."  
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      Even the more exclusive DateMySchool--which has [slightly pretentiously] made its services available only to NYU, Columbia, and FIT students--has its fair share of freaks and failure-to-launch cases. 

      "Personally, I'm not interested in an out-of-work actor who's living in his mom's basement," said NYU junior Sheena Sharma.  But Sharma, a self-proclaimed "love cynic," admitted dating sites are definitely "luck of the draw" when her sister's best friend became engaged to a man she met on OkCupid. 

      "You have to use discretion," said NYU senior Jennifer Mergott. "It's hard to tell if somebody is crazy based on their online profile on some website."


      Discretion certainly paid off for Mergott.  After careful consideration on the DateMySchool, she connected with a professional baseball player(!) studying at NYU in his off-season.  The two engaged in a whirlwind romance that lasted until Mergott's sweetheart had to head back to California for season training.  The two remain close friends. 


      Cyber love also found NYU senior Katrina Garland, who met her boyfriend of six weeks after only two days on OkCupid.  "It's great for people who are a little awkward and a little shy, and have trouble meeting people because they aren't into the drinking scene," said Garland with a chuckle. "Like my boyfriend and me." 

      But just like in the real world, rejection and broken hearts are always a possibility.  A serious downside of online dating is the ease with which people can reject each other.  Smith went on what she thought to be a delightful date, but stopped hearing from her OkCupid sweetie soonafter without much explanation.

      "There's a big difference between meeting someone in person and rejecting someone virtually," said Smith. "It's so easy to reject someone online."

      Whether or not you find your soul mate, it's nice to know dating sites are becoming a socially acceptable means of trying.  Most students say they decided to join one of the two sites after they discovered their friends were using them. "After I got mine, one of my friends got one because I had gotten one," said Garland. "I feel like it's spreading, and if your friends have one, it makes it OK." 

      Though we are the Facebook generation--ever expanding our social media usage--there are those who just can't swallow the idea of finding true love online. "I still prefer the old-fashioned method of meeting someone in person," said Troup.


      Perhaps the best way to look at online dating is from Smith's perspective: "You may or may not find your soul mate, but at least it's entertaining."




      *Last name changed for anonymity.

      

Remembering 9/11: A Day at the WTC Tribute Center

Most class field trips are at least moderately exciting and/or entertaining. Even going to a crowded, noisy zoo is better than sitting idly in a classroom.  But there was nothing exciting, or happy, or entertaining about my class field trip to the World Trade Center Tribute Center. It was just sad.

The T.C., located on the corner of Liberty Street and Greenwich Street, is easy to miss. It's a small building with an unassuming sign, making it a wonder that tourists are able to find it at all. (A New Yorker myself, I even got lost).  But seeing the massive, building-less pit known as Ground Zero lets me know I'm close.

Upon entering the T.C., a flood of emotions sweep over me.  To my left, countless photos of all the victims and lost souls of the 9/11 tragedy adorn the walls--truly the most morbid memorabilia I've ever seen.  To my right, there is a four-minute 9/11 commemorative video being projected on a loop on the wall above.

Farther into the museum, there are glass-encased artifacts and ruins that were either found in or around the wreckage at Ground Zero.  A black pair of women's shoes, a seared baseball cap that reads "Emergency Response Team," a mangled set of car keys, a battered police radio.

A shiver runs down my spine as I pass a scorched fireman uniform and helmet. I later learn these items belonged to the son of the T.C. founder. His son, who served the F.D.N.Y. on 9/11, did not survive.

In the back room of the museum, there are hundreds of more photos as well as the "Missing Person" signs that infested Ground Zero after the attacks.  Desperate friends and family members had written down as much about their missing loved ones as they could think of ("wearing blue jeans and gray tee-shirt," "green eyes," "height: 5'8," etc.). Most hauntingly were the smiling faces of the victims, completely unaware of their horrific fates.

After wandering the museum, the class headed outside for the 50-minute audio walking tour.  The tour starts at the F.D.N.Y. memorial wall, proceeds to the World Financial Center, and concludes at the Winter Gardens.  Standing at the windows inside the Winter Gardens building is where the best view of Ground Zero can be seen.  An infinite amount of progress has been made, but there is still much work to be done.

At the end of the tour, the class sat down with retired F.D.N.Y. firefighter Steve Wall, 60, who was called to duty on 9/11. He recounted his story of the historic day and extremely physically and emotionally trying aftermath. In addition to being exposed to the gruesome sights and heinous smoke and ash (which left him with a permanent lung condition), Wall lost a dear friend and fellow firefighter on that doomful day.

Though I was only 11 years old when the events of 9/11 took place, it left an eternal scar.  Ten years later, it is still difficult for me to confront the events up-close.  I gather my classmates felt the same pain, as many of us were teary-eyed as we toured the melancholy museum. 

It is important--no, NECESSARY--that we, as Americans, confront the events of 9/11 so that we may be fully aware of the reckless evil, hatred, and destruction mankind is capable of.  But it is equally necessary to recognize the overwhelming kindness and selflessness humanity is capable of in the aftermath of such a catastrophe--the hundreds of lives lost in the pursuit of saving others' lives.

The T.C. is, indeed, an intensely powerful place to visit. But it was worth every moment. No matter how many years go by, we much always remember how we lost... and how we rose again from the dust and ash.

Google du Jour

Lunch on an ordinary day: PB&J sandwich.

Lunch on a Google day: Goat cheese toasted points, crisp Vietnamese pork spring rolls, fingering potatoes with scallions, a bowl of piping hot cream of broccoli soup, and exotic guava coconut juice.  Oh, and let's not forget dessert--freshly-baked oatmeal cookies (pictured above) and a cherry milkshake.

For Google employees like Business Process and Compliance Specialist Jessica Chan, this is just a normal meal on a normal day in the culinary utopia that is the Google cafeteria. (Oh wait, that should be plural since there is not one, but TWO cafeterias.) Not to mention it's all free.

Google's ever-expanding New York headquarters is located at 111 Eighth Ave. The building stretches between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.  There is no flamboyant neon sign on the building advertising Google's residence, so it is very easy to miss.  But once inside Google's spectacular offices, it is immediately clear that you could not be anywhere but Google.

Chan, a California native and employee of Google for five years, revealed the magical lifestyle of Google employees. There are snack rooms scattered around the building that are stocked with all sort of goodies and munchies, a game room full of bouncy balls, pool tables, and TVs, a gym, a massage room, a library, scooters, etc., etc. Shall I go on?

Food is very important to Google, and its devotion is proven by the complimentary gourmet breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided to Google staff every single day. "Happy employees means good work out of employees," Chan explained. 

Touring and dining at Google felt reminiscent of a fantastical adventure through Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory--minus the Oompa-Loompas, plus cute Google tech boys.