Growing up in the age of social media, college students are no stranger to the plethora of dating apps out there. However, until last semester, the idea of having a dating platform specific to our school was unknown and unexplored. When UR Marriage Pact managed to get ahold of practically every single student’s email address last spring, the University was taken by storm. Needless to say, students were curious about this new platform which aimed specifically to connect UR students with each other. However, after only a semester, UR Marriage Pact hasn’t been as active as the past few months, leading many students to think it was a one-off. Students who didn’t like their match (or who never got one) were left wanting for a second chance.
That’s where UR Matched comes in — a fresh start for UR students looking for a significant other on campus. Also the creator of the Instagram page, UR Loved, Apricus, the founder of the page who wishes to remain under her pseudonym, is also the creator of the Instagram page UR Loved, decided to try her hand at matchmaking with the creation of UR Matched.
Already in the process of matching students, UR Matched initiates the pairings on Instagram. Once two individuals are matched, UR Matched creates a groupchat with both of them. UR Matched then sends a message explaining why these two have been paired up, followed by some sample icebreaker questions to get the conversation flowing. Apricus acknowledges that this is not a foolproof plan, and as a relatively new program, she doesn’t know how UR Matched will pan out in the long-term. They plan to launch a feedback form that students can use to express their experiences with the program. UR Matched also plans to “highlight matches, [if] people are comfortable with that.”
Unlike typical dating apps that use a computerized algorithm to generate lists of potential partners for individual users, Apricus and the rest of the UR Matched team do their best to ensure that “it’s about the people.” They read through each individual application carefully and thoughtfully, pairing students “who will be a good fit together based on their [application]” and similarities. The application form includes a variety of questions, allowing interested students to express their hopes for the relationship in detail. Students can include specific preferences, including whether they are open to multiple matches, pet peeves, and if they’re looking for casual or serious relationships.
Apricus was initially uncertain about how successful UR Matched would be, but she was surprised with a “big turnout” of “over 100 responses.” Many students, particularly those in the class of 2024, have shown interest. She said that many applicants have been “very active,” writing out extensive answers in their forms. As a busy student herself, Apricus expressed her gratitude that many peers have offered to read through applications with her. With the start of the academic year, however, it has been difficult to go through all of the responses. As a result, UR Matched does not promise a specific wait time. Fortunately, applicants are willing to wait.
Ultimately, Apricus hopes that students will find fulfilling relationships through her service, regardless of whether these relationships are romantic. She, along with the rest of the UR Matched team, aim to “always [keep] the students in mind” and continue to “make meaningful connections.”
Editors Note: Correction 9/13/2021: A previous version of this article said that UR Marriage Pact disabanded. Actually, they are only on hiatus and have plans again to run in the future.
