As the leaves change colors and the air turns crisp, cuffing season is just around the corner. For those searching for a date this holiday season, look no further than Marriage Pact, which is typically released during Fall Quarter.
Marriage Pact is an annual questionnaire that matches students using an algorithm based on relationship psychology. For many students, the goal is not to find an immediate relationship but rather an “optimal backup plan.”
Questions cover a range of topics, from lighthearted pet peeves to non-negotiables. Examples include “I find politically incorrect humor funny” and “My partner can be ‘just friends’ with an ex.”
The questionnaire originated at Stanford University in 2017 and has since expanded to 88 campuses across the United States. Marriage Pact joined NU in 2020 and has remained popular ever since.
Last year, 3,618 students submitted questionnaires, comprising nearly half of the undergraduate student body.
Once the matches are made, students receive an email with the initials of their pact. After hours of stalking on Instagram and searching the student directory for potential names, the full names are released. It’s up to students to decide whether they want to reach out to their matches on social media or meet in person.
A select few, like McCormick senior Ryan Kessler and his boyfriend, end up dating.
Marriage Pact had been unsuccessful for Kessler until his junior year when he received his match, along with a statistic declaring the pair “99.9% compatible.”
The two were introduced by Kessler’s roommate at a Halloween party a few days later, when he said they ended the night talking for hours.
“I didn’t say this out loud to him, but I was thinking to myself, ‘Wow, is the Marriage Pact actually working?’” Kessler said. “Is this going to be a success story?”
In January, the couple made it official and have been together ever since.
Few students are as fortunate as Kessler — some do not receive a relationship match at all. Last year, more straight women filled out the questionnaire than straight men, resulting in more than 400 women receiving an “optimal friend match” instead.
Weinberg sophomore Lena An received a “friend” pact, which she said left her feeling disappointed.
“I saw a girl’s name, and I put my preferences for male,” An said. “It’s not like I was looking for a genuine romantic connection through this, but I wanted to see if there was a man that they would say was the most compatible with me.”
Even if it doesn’t lead to a romantic connection, Marriage Pact creates an opportunity to form new connections. Weinberg freshman Hannah Nwobodo said she looks forward to completing the questionnaire.
Nwobodo said she hopes to find someone tall — “hopefully over 6 feet” with a “great personality.” However, she said she would not mind if she only got a friend out of the experience.
“Friendship would probably last a whole lot longer than romantic ones at this stage in my life,” she said.
Email: [email protected]
X: @ivy_millss
Related Stories:
— AI dating assistant designed by NU student plays cupid
— Highlights from The Daily’s Fall 2024 Campus Poll: Schill approval, voting and student sex habits
