Speed Friending: Friendship Starts with a Little Effort

Club Board of Advisors is back at it this spring term with another Speed Friending event come and gone! For those unfamiliar with Speed Friending, it is an event CBA has hosted where students are paired together and try to become friends within a short amount of time– kind of like speed dating, but without the anxious small talk and awkward pickup lines. 

This Speed Friending event was held on April 12th in the Hawk Dining Hall, and those who signed up for the event in advance received a free meal swipe. After grabbing their meals, attendees lined up at the tables and began chatting away. From icebreakers to hypotheticals, to plans and aspirations; there were many insightful, personal, and genuine conversations– as well as jokes and laughs– that bloomed from five-minute conversations. CBA also provided party games for attendees to participate in and break the ice easier, but they weren’t needed as much at this event. It was like magic how fast students were able to connect. 

There were students from different majors and with experiences at SOU, each sharing their own odd anecdotes from their time on campus. Some stories reminisced on old events, some shared weird stories from campus life or from their hometowns– like campfire stories of haunting killers lurking in the forest, or malfunctioning fire alarms from certain residence halls. Along with their experiences at SOU, there were some differences in time spent at SOU; There were some students at the event who have just recently joined SOU this spring term. While we’re already in the spring term, there are still students joining the Raider family, so keep an eye out for them! Think back to your first days at SOU and how it was navigating the campus; it’s always nice to offer a smile and companionship.

If there is one thing that helps a person make a new home, it’s socializing. Fortunately, everyone at the event seemed to get along well enough to continue chatting for the entirety of the event. The socializing didn’t stop until the Hawk closed for the night, with laughs and newly formed group chats as the fun died down. Hopefully, in the future, CBA will host events similar to this. Until then, look out for any new faces you come across; who knows, you might make a new friend!

Keep an eye out for future events through their Instagram account @soustudentlife and give them a follow or check out EPIC’s SOU Presence page.

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