Freshman Year, Dating, and Drama

 

Q&A with Maddy Jasso

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo freshman year is a time of transition, excitement, and, for many, figuring out the complicated world of college relationships. A Cal Poly freshman Maddy Jasso discusses dating culture, and love. Maddy Jasso tried a dating app for a month but didn’t feel it offered a real connection. Instead, she meets people through friends, major-related events, and parties, finding that more natural and meaningful. 

Q: Have you ever ghosted or been ghosted by someone here? What happened? 

A: Fortunately, I have not been ghosted yet. But, unfortunately, I have ghosted somebody here. Sometimes, you just realize the whole superficial love thing isn’t for you. When I start talking to guys, I see red flags, like them being full of themselves or cocky. I don’t really care if I ghost them. It’s more for my well-being. We’re not even officially dating, so it’s like, whatever. 

Q: Are students at Cal Poly more into relationships, situationships, or hookups? 

A: I feel like Cal Poly has a lot of real relationships, but freshman year? It’s mostly situationships and hookups. If you’re in a relationship, it probably started in high school. But if not, you’re kind of just figuring things out here. Most people are young and just want to have fun, but if you're a relationship person, there's definitely someone here for you. You just have to find them. 

Q: What's the wildest first date you've been on since coming to college? 

A: I met this guy while walking to Subway, and he asked for my number. The next day, we hung out, went to In-N-Out, and then somehow ended up driving to three different cities in one night, Paso, Morro Bay, and Arroyo Grande. We just kept stopping at random spots, and I didn’t get home until 4 or 5 AM. 

Q: Do dating apps work at Cal Poly? 

A: For me, Tinder is definitely a hookup app, so I never had it. But I tried Hinge because my roommate had it, and it was fun, like a little game. I actually went on one date from Hinge, and he was super cool! Their algorithm is really good; it actually shows you guys you’d like. We still text sometimes, but I deleted it recently. At the end of the day, swiping through people all the time just doesn’t feel that healthy. 

Q: What’s the biggest dating red flag at Cal Poly? 

A: If a guy is being too perfect too fast, it’s probably fake. A lot of guys here act super sweet, like they’re all in, but then you find out they’re actually players. You think you met the perfect guy, but he's actually talking to five other girls. 

Q: What’s one unspoken rule about dating in college? 

A: You don’t tell people who you’re talking to, especially in the early stages because chances are, that guy is also seeing other girls. So, you keep things lowkey, maybe tell your close friends, but you definitely don’t go around announcing it. 

Q: Have you ever seen a long-distance relationship survive here? 

A: Actually, yes! Two of my best friends are in long-distance relationships, and they seem to be working. There are definitely hard nights, but as long as both people trust each other, I think it can last. 

Q: What’s the most unexpected place you’ve seen someone hook up? 

A: Oh, this one’s crazy. One of my neighbors wanted to hook up with a girl, but both his roommates were in their dorm. So instead, they went to the public stairwell and then later used the study room. Like, what?! 

Q: Any advice for freshmen navigating dating at Cal Poly? 

A: Just don’t take anything too seriously. Freshman year is messy, and people are still figuring themselves out. If you’re looking for something real, it might take some time, but it’s possible. And if you’re just here for fun, well just be prepared for the drama!

Work Cited:

Maddy Jasso: msjasso@calpoly.edu

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