Screw Your Boring Conversation: 36 Questions to Ask Your Date

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.

You’re three and a half minutes into your Screw date and you’ve already run out of things to talk about. You’ve established your majors, class years, and you’re about to make a comment about the cold chicken patty grilla on your plate. But don’t worry! The DG is here to help you establish a naturally flowing conversation (by Swarthmore standards). These questions might not make you fall in love, but they’re sure to get your Valentine’s Day off to a good start.

1. How often do you read The Daily Gazette?

2. Vertigo-go or BMT?

3. Essie Mae’s or Paces?

4. Kohlberg or Science Center coffee bar?

5. Favorite campus a capella group?

6. Third favorite Sharples bar?

7. Have you ever attended a sports game? What was it like?

8. When was the last time you did laundry?

9. Favorite Swat tradition?

10. What’s a class you always wanted to take but never have?

11. What do you wish you’d taken during pass/fail?

12. How much lower would your GPA be if pass/fail wasn’t pass/fail?

13. What class did you actually do all the reading for every week?

14. Demonstrate your go-to Paces dance move.

15. Tell your first all-nighter story.

16. Favorite country to run in at the Matchbox?

17. Has your freshman plant died yet? If so, when? If not, what’s its name?

18. If you could date any building, which would it be? (Academic buildings included.)

19. What’s on your Swat bucket list?

20. Favorite campus controversy?

21. Ever had a major Swat Swivel™ fail?

22. Who is the admissions mistake?

23. Tell your date about an upcoming essay/project/exam. Are you nervous? Stuck? Does your date have any advice?

24. Are you close with your first roommate? Why or why not?

25. How often do you call home?

26. Worst/best Public Safety experience?

27. If your dorm was to burn down, what’s the one thing you’d save?

28. Has a class ever made you cry?

29. Favorite freshman year memory? (Ah freshmen…so young.)

30. What’s your plan after Swat? (Screaming “FUTURE” and burying your head in the paella is also an acceptable answer.)

31. Would you describe your high school experience as happy?

32. What do you think of your date’s costume? Did they put a lot of effort into it, or did they phone it in?

33. Play a quick round of Misery Poker. Who won?

34. Have you ever had a relationship at Swat?

35. What are you looking to get out of Screw?

36. Why Swarthmore?

Featured image courtesy of hqwallbase.com.