Being dragged into a blind double date is not necessarily my idea of fun. It is also not something that I would normally do, so being called upon for this interesting task with my best friend and other Statesman writer, Sydney Rosinsky, caused me to take several steps outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to keep putting this date off because I kept telling myself that I wouldn’t have time, or I was too busy, but thanks to Rosinsky, we ventured to the date on a Friday night. It is safe to say that if it were not for her, I would have never made it to Z’mariks that night.

It was not the fact that I didn’t know who my date was beforehand, it was the fact that fellow Statesman staff chose people that we did not know very well, and they told us that. I picked Rosinsky up, and as soon as she sat down in my car I told her that I thought we should cancel.

“I can’t do this Syd. Maybe we just shouldn’t go.”

I began to second guess myself and my ability to be outgoing on a blind date. I am the type of person that seems to be quite awkward the first time that I meet someone, so imagine how I felt about a blind date.

On the way to Z’mariks, I worked myself up enough to convince myself that I wouldn’t step foot in the restaurant. Risk-taking is obviously not a skill of mine. Eventually we pulled in, parked and the heavy breathing started. My eyes may have started to tear up as well from fear of this soon-to-be awkward encounter with an LHS junior that I did not know. Being forced to go into the restaurant with Rosinsky, I saw our dates out of the corner of my eye. I saw Grant Loudenback, and then I saw my date, Isaac Woods. I had never talked to Woods in my life, so I did not know what to expect. We walked up to the register, and the two boys came up behind us. Out of nervousness I muttered some words that I do not remember to our dates and pretended to be unreserved. We sat down with our dates, and we all ordered mac ‘n cheese except for Rosinsky.

“So, what are your favorite colors?” said Rosinksy, breaking the ice.

Once we got to talking, the date was not nearly as awkward as I anticipated, and I learned new things about Woods, like that I student mentor two of his brothers at Edison Middle School. Also, Woods turned out to be one of the nicest boys that I know and left a great first impression on me.

In reality, taking several steps out of my comfort zone helped me to grow as a person. Now I know that I am capable of surviving a blind date if the opportunity ever arises again.