Similar to speed-dating, People Respecting Identity Diversity for Everyone will host its first speed-friending event on March 3 in CSC Cheyenne at 4 p.m.

This event is free and an opportunity for anyone who is looking to make new friends. Tables will be set up for people to sit across from each other and each set of partners will be given a topic to discuss for one to two minutes, just like speed-dating, but without the pressure of looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend.   

To participate, just show up. After the actual “speed-friending” portion is completed,participants will be able to go up to the people they found most interesting and get to know them more said Deborah Carias, vice president of PRIDE and a freshman in marketing. 

Carias said the topics will be engaging and things that will help you get a feel for a person quickly and see if they are similar to you. 

Carias proposed the idea for speed friending after the last PRIDE meeting. 

“At our previous meeting we had this trust circle where we introduced ourselves, we asked questions and at the end we asked ‘why did you join PRIDE’ and ‘what do you expect from it,” said Christopher Cruz, president of PRIDE and a freshman in theater. “Most people said they were looking for friends, friends like them.” 

At first leaders said they did not expect a lot of people to show interest, but after hanging the fliers around campus to include everyone, Carias said they have noticed a lot of interest in the event.

Carias and Cruz decided on speed-friending instead of speed-dating, even though some other members suggested that, because they wanted it to be open to people needing friends and not a significant other.

“We didn’t want to make it just for people who are looking for someone because if you’re single and you just want to make friends, it should be for everyone,” Carias said.