Photo via @gdubmarriagepact on Instagram
By Caroline Dehn
Single GW students, worry no longer. GDub Marriage Pact has returned. For those of you struggling to navigate the complexities of the GW dating scene, a solution may be right at your fingertips.
GDub Marriage Pact made its debut in April 2021 with a splash, reaching hundreds of students within minutes through their Instagram account with the goal to find each participating GW student the perfect match for a marriage pact.
According to a post made on their Instagram page, a marriage pact is defined as “an agreement between two friends made in jest to get married as a last resort later in life.” Although this pact doesn’t necessarily guarantee a blossoming relationship, the organization works to find each student a compatible companion.
With the return of the GDub Marriage Pact, the organization saw over two thousand sign-ups from students in just two days, according to their Instagram. Your match could be a classic Elliott kid, a frat boy with a nicotine addiction, an athlete or even a philosophy major carrying a Harry Styles tote bag.
In an email sent out last week, the Marriage Pact claims that “[they] use psychology, market design, and computer science to formulate the best possible automated matchmaker. Sometimes, similarity in values is important. Sometimes, dissimilarity is important. The algorithm takes into account much more complex interactions for more nuanced matches.” The complex data that the organization collects comes from the multifaceted nature of the questions they ask on the registration questionnaire.
The questionnaire asks the participant to rate how much they agree or disagree with specific statements on a scale of one to seven. For example, “I would end a friendship over differing political views,” and, “I go to great lengths to minimize my harm to the planet.” The goal is to match your answers to those who answered similarly.
This year, however, the organization claimed that 900 more women have signed up than men, making it harder for straight women to receive a match. Just like the debut pact launch, many students will likely receive a “friend” match. So, to those of you looking to score a hot date with GDub Marriage Pact, you may be out of luck.
Alright, GW, get out there and meet your perfect match!
(Some satire used)
