Two small-town sophomores, Bowen Vernan and Cydnee DeToy, made comfortable conversation over dinner, candlelight and a rose at the Firefly restaurant in Dupont Circle.

Bowen: This was my first blind date, and overall the date was really fun.

The restaurant was a cool little place, a bit noisy though. For dinner, I had the rigatoni and she had the salmon.

I thought the evening was really comfortable. We talked about things we’re involved with in D.C., life back home, mutual friends, places we want to go, people we want to see. Basically, we discussed a little bit of everything.

Both coming from smaller hometowns, we both love city life.

Cydnee was a really sweet, down-to-earth girl. She seemed really open and genuine.

I would give the date a B+/A-. I definitely enjoyed spending the evening getting to know Cydnee, but I’m not sure there was a very strong connection. I don’t know about going on another date, but I hope we’ll definitely be friends.

Cydnee: This was my first blind date.

It wasn’t something I ever thought I would do, but it was an interesting experience.

The date went well. He brought me a flower and held the door for me, which definitely made a good first impression.

It was very comfortable and the conversation flowed easily.

We talked about everything from Navy ROTC and the fact that he was home-schooled, to music likes and dislikes. It was definitely comfortable; there were no awkward silences

Bowen is a really nice guy. He’s smart, motivated, and well-spoken. He’s also comfortable with himself and has his life pretty well figured out.

I would give the date an A. It was very “textbook.” I definitely think we’d be better as just friends.

We got along well, but there was no extra spark.

Name: Bowen Vernan
Year: Sophomore
Age: 19
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Mich.
Major: Middle Eastern Studies

Name: Cydnee DeToy
Year: Sophomore
Age: 19
Hometown: Wickford, R.I.
Major/Minor: Geography/Human Services

What would be your ideal date?

Bowen: I’m very old fashioned. My ideal date would start at a sleepy little Italian restaurant and dancing to the piano and then a long winding walk around town.

Cydnee: My ideal date would be a walk on the beach.

What characteristics do you look for in a person?

Bowen: I need someone is who honest and real. I also think that it’s important for someone to be willing to go get what they want, you can’t reach your goals sitting around and waiting for them to come to you.

Cydnee: I’m looking for a guy who has a good sense of humor and can make me laugh. I also like trying new things and exploring, so I like adventurous people.

What are some of your own personal interests?

Bowen: I really like all sorts of music, especially swing and jazz music. Like most guys, I enjoy playing and watching sports (baseball, soccer, swimming). I also like running. Next semester, I’m planning on taking up ballroom classes and possibly interning at the Pentagon.

Cydnee: I like spending time with my friends and meeting new people. I’m also extremely interested in trying to make a difference in the world.

“GW Blind Date” is a regular feature in the Life section modeled after Washington Post Magazine’s Date Lab. If you would like to be set up on a blind date with another GW student, e-mail [email protected].