Akshay (Second year, PPE, Corpus Christi)
Having raced over after accidentally eating lunch, I spent several minutes looking anxiously around the Turf for my blind date. When, twenty minutes later, I finally met Lily, I was almost relieved not to be dealt the tragic blow of being stood up on a Cherwell date. Both second years, we ended up reminiscing a fair amount about our time as first years, when we both, at times, had two-day weeks. The conversation shifted to become steadily more ‘Oxford’; at some point, we caught ourselves discussing the problem of whether language corresponds to values or objects. We went through the classic topics of blind dates: genres of music, sports, films. As someone who doesn’t pride himself on his small talk, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to keep up conversation. Though my chat probably did veer on the “boring” side, meeting someone new was an entertaining way to spend an afternoon.
Out of 10? 7
Looks? Feel like I’ve seen you before
Personality? Friendly but a bit reserved
2nd date? Would be nice to see Lily around Oxford
Lily (Second year, MFL, Pembroke)
When I arrived at Turf, Akshay had been waiting for me outside, freezing cold and unimpressed. We started this Valentine’s day lunch date with an awkward hug followed by a mulled cider to recover. I mean, I thought it was a lunch date, but turns out that he had eaten in hall before running over… (If you organise a date for 1pm at a gastro pub, do you eat beforehand?) I can’t remember what we chatted about while I waited for my lunch, but I can recommend the mac and cheese. They’ve perfected the art of combining that stringy, gooey cheese centre with a golden, crunchy surface: a textural sensation. And they don’t stop there; a buttery toasted slice of homemade ciabatta is perfect for dipping. After a few heavenly minutes of mouthwatering action, I looked up and remembered who the date was supposed to be with. Akshay seemed very nice, actually. I was ecstatic when we admitted a shared love of electronic music.
Out of 10? 7
Looks? 7 (the macaroni gets 9)
Personality? 7
2nd date? Yes, if you actually eat something next time?
