By Daisy Yates, Co-Deputy Features Editor
Dating in your 20s can be disheartening. The rise of dating apps has reduced ‘finding the one’ to a series of swipes and likes, often leaving people feeling unfulfilled and disconnected. That’s why two University of Bristol students are setting a new trend to ‘Bin Hinge’ and rethink modern romance.
Caylan and Elisa are two determined fourth-year students, on a mission to transform Bristol’s dating scene with their innovative idea ‘Binge Dating’ – a playful nod to their shared goal to ‘Bin Hinge.’ The concept is simple: students fill out an application form, detailing their preferences, from likes and dislikes, to what song describes them best, to what they find attractive in a partner. Based on this information, Caylan and Elisa curate them up with three different dates: two carefully selected as ideal matches and a third wildcard, as Elisa explained, ‘Sometimes the one is the person you least expect.’
‘People put too much pressure on dating, it’s not exciting or fun anymore. We wanted to bring the excitement back into dating’ Caylan explained, ‘I’m sort of against dating apps, I deleted Hinge about 6 months ago because it just doesn’t work.’ Elisa elaborated, ‘We just wanted to bring back real-life dating, there’s no expectations beforehand, you’re not stalking them on Instagram, they’re just in front of you.’ Their inspiration partly came from their time abroad during their third year – Caylan spent a semester in Korea, while Elisa spent a year in Hong Kong. ‘When we came back, we were so done with online dating,’ they agreed. ‘It’s our final year, and we wanted to give everyone a chance to connect, have fun, and make dating exciting again.’
The inaugural ‘Binge Dating’ event took place on the 31st of January at Goldbrick House and was met with overwhelming success. ‘We didn’t expect it would go so well’ Caylan admitted. ‘We were really stressed, and we didn’t finish some of the elements until the day of the event [...] but everyone seemed really happy and we got such positive feedback from it.’ Elisa added that ‘even if anyone didn’t get with someone, they still enjoyed meeting new people and we enjoyed it so much – it was just such a great vibe.’
Adding to the fun and interactive nature of the event, Caylan and Elisa, along with the help of some of their friends, created personalised scratch cards. Singles would scratch off the names of their first, second, and third dates, then search for the person with the corresponding name tag. ‘This added an extra feel of excitement and anticipation’ Elisa explained, ‘the attendees had no idea who they’d be matched with until the moment.’ To top it off, the duo leaned into their playful branding by handing out condoms featuring their faces, alongside ‘Binge Dating’ stamps - adding an unforgettable touch to the night. ‘A guy came up to us the next day and said “I never thought I’d be using a condom with your faces on it!”’ Caylan laughed.
With ‘2 for £10’ cocktails and £3.50 pints, ‘the atmosphere was amazing, so many people were buying each other drinks [...] some people were even buying them for other people’s dates’ Elisa explained. After the event, the duo put a poll on their Instagram story and found that ‘32 per cent of people got with their own date, but 68 per cent got with someone else’s date.’ ‘Everyone was mingling before the dates started’ Caylan added, 'You know, you’re trying to sus out your date but also looking around to see if anyone else is in the room, so we kind of anticipated it a bit.’
The event wasn’t only for singles, Caylan and Elisa introduced a ‘wing-person’ ticket, where anyone apprehensive about coming to the event alone could bring a friend for moral support. ‘The wing-people really helped us a lot [...] they were super chatty with the dates and made everyone feel comfortable – especially in the time in between dates’ Elisa explained. This thoughtful addition created a more relaxed atmosphere, where even newcomers could enjoy themselves and feel part of the fun.
After ending the night in Daisy’s, the duo felt that the whole experience was a resounding success. ‘We had a lot of feedback from people saying, even if they didn’t find their match, they still had a really good time’ Caylan explained, ‘what’s really nice is that since the event, people are going on dates [...] it’s opened a window into people asking each other out’.
This is just the beginning for ‘Binge Dating’ as both students are eager to host another event, though they’ve decided it’ll likely be after dissertation season. ‘It was so much work, and we’ve definitely neglected our studies a bit,’ Caylan admitted. ‘We’re both feeling the pressure now, but it was worth it’ Elisa added, ‘We definitely want to take it to another city once we graduate next year. We have a lot of friends in London who are really interested, so that’s something we’re seriously considering.’ But while their sights are set on expanding, they’re not forgetting their roots: ‘There’s definitely something in the works for a second event in Bristol too,’ Elisa hinted, promising that their next event in the city will be just as exciting and innovative.
Epigram’s guide to Bristol’s best Valentine’s Day dining
Love at first swipe?: The impact of dating apps on modern romance
Caylan and Elisa are proving that real-life dating, without the pressure of dating apps, can bring back the excitement and genuine connections often missing in modern romance. As they look toward future events both in Bristol and beyond, it’s clear that ‘Binge Dating’ is more than just an event – it’s the beginning of a movement redefining the way we connect and find love in the digital age.
Featured Image courtesy of Binge Dating
Do you think real-life connections are making a comeback?
