On a cold Friday night at Firefly restaurant in Dupont, two GW sophomores – Turner Swicegood and Kate Hornyan – met up for a surprisingly not-so-blind date full of lots of food and conversation.

Turner: Overall, it was a great date. It was actually funny because we knew each other before the date through GW’s Emerging Leaders Program. When I arrived at the restaurant I saw Kate, and I was thinking, “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if this was my blind date?” As it turns out, she was. We both laughed at the irony of things. Either way, I knew Kate, so I knew that evening was going to be fun because Kate’s a nice girl.

I had the half-roasted chicken, which was delicious. Kate and I ended up sharing our entrees actually. It was kind of romantic, if you will.

We had a great flow of conversation. We always had something to talk about; there were no awkward moments. We talked about our ELP, our different hometowns and how similar our experiences there are, the restaurant, and fun D.C. things we like to do.

We also shared our desserts – again kind of romantic.

I give the date a B+. We had a great time together. We will probably go out again, but only as good friends.

Kate: I think we both ended up having a really good time.

About 20 minutes before I left my room to go to dinner, I was thinking to myself, “Is this really a good idea?” But I had a great time. And coincidentally enough, we ended up knowing each other ahead of time.
I had the Mahi Mahi dish and Turner had chicken. We shared our plates though. When you go to a great restaurant like that, you have to share your dinner – it’s just so good.

We talked about our jobs, school activities, just lots of stuff like that. We had great conversation the whole time. We were always talking about something.
For dessert I had apple napoleon and Turner had some kind of ice cream. Mine was better. The waiter recommended the apple napoleon and it turned out to be the better pick. I was nice and shared with Turner, though.

It was a good time overall. My last date was horrible, so I was a little scared that this would be another disaster like last time. But it wasn’t. Turner and I had a good time with good food.

I give the date an A. There are no romantic feelings between Turner and I, though. We probably won’t go out on another romantic date. But, he is very nice. I’ll definitely see him around.

Name: Turner Swicegood
Year: Sophomore
Age: 19
Hometown: Decatur, Ga.
Major: International Affairs

Name: Kate Hornyan
Year: Sophomore
Age: 20
Hometown: Tempe, Ariz.
Major: International Affairs and Human Services

What characteristics do you look for in a guy/girl?
Turner: I look for somebody who is smart, intellectually challenging – someone who I can carry on a conversation with. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have good looks.

Kate: I look for something that is not like any kind of failed relationship I have experienced before. It really varies. I do like smart boys, though.

What are your own personal interests?
Turner: I am interested in a lot of things. I love TV and movies, of course. I am also interested in the Middle East and other languages. I am taking Arabic. Although it’s hard, I am really into it right now.

Kate: I really like to read. I also just like to do low key things, like just hanging out with friends and things like that. I also like to do volunteer work.

What is your ideal date?
Turner: An ideal date for me would be doing a traditional kind of “dinner and a movie” date but in an untraditional way. For example, I would like to go see an independent or interesting movie and then go to a great restaurant.

Kate: An ideal date for me would be going to a restaurant that neither of us has ever been to before. It is a good way to push past that comfort zone and break the ice.

“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].