Blind Date: 23-year-old teacher goes to a show at Belk Theater with a 24-year-old Charlotte native
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
latta-arcade-at-night
How does Blind Date work: Charlotteans fill out this Agenda Blind Date Survey about their make-or-breaks, their ideal types and their perfect dates. Then the Agenda plays matchmaker by sending couples out on blind dates. Below are the results. Want the chance to get matched? Fill out the survey!
I promised our couple total anonymity in exchange for candid post-date interviews so I could give you an article free of “The date was a 5/5! We won’t see each other again though because we had no chemistry.” You get it.
Say hi to Tyler and Jessica.
Jessica is a 23-year-old teacher and Charlotte native who moved back to the Queen City after graduation. Her best friend would describe her as “positive, energetic, always down for an adventure, funny, organized and loyal.” She’s looking for someone who is outdoorsy, athletic, funny, career-focused and charismatic. If he has a beard, that’s an added bonus. Her favorite Charlotte activities include walking at Freedom Park, going to Food Truck Friday, scootering around South End, dancing at the Roxbury and more.
Meet Tyler. This 24-year-old (yes, he’s bearded) is working while also attending grad school. His best friend would describe him as “funny, loyal and empathetic.” He’s looking for someone who is confident with a good sense of humor. He’d also like to meet someone who has strong leadership skills. His favorite Charlotte activities include brewery hopping, watching movies, going to the parks and walking the greenways and taking photos.
These two headed to a show at Belk Theater and then grabbed a bite to eat after the performance was over. Here’s how the night went:
How would you describe the Charlotte dating scene?
Tyler: I don’t go on too many dates because I’m pretty involved with work and grad school, but I’m on Hinge and Bumble. I’ve had a few of my married friends try to set me up, so I’d say the majority is through friends or through the dating apps.
Jessica: Because I grew up in Charlotte, being a part of the dating scene has been very interesting. Growing up, I had this mindset that if you live in a city, you would be able to meet someone super easily. You could meet someone at a brewery, get set up with someone via mutual friends, or meet someone at church. I’ve learned it’s not that easy. I wouldn’t consider myself a huge part of the dating scene. I’ve tried Bumble and Hinge, and I honestly forget to swipe after long days of working. Also, my friends and I agree it feels impossible to meet new people when you go out. Nevertheless, I will continue to enjoy my 20s and seeing what the dating scene continues to offer.
How did you feel leading up to the date?
Tyler: I was excited, it was really cool to be part of the program. It’s definitely been something that I’ve read, so it was a cool opportunity. Right before, I switched the shirt I was going to wear so I was like, “I hope I’m still able to find her,” but I still kept my hat, and I guess that was the key thing she was looking for.
Jessica: My friend was the one who initially encouraged me to apply for the Axios Charlotte Blind Date series. That being said, I didn’t know what the whole experience was going to be like, and I didn’t really have a lot of expectations leading up to the date. I was told that we had a lot in common, so I was interested to learn more about that. The idea of going to a show at the Blumenthal sounded fun, so I was excited about that. Of course I had some pre-date anxiety because all of the “what ifs” popped into my head. I had never been on a 100 percent blind date, so I was nervous about what it would be like.
[Agenda related guides: 30 cool dates you’ll actually want to go on in Charlotte and 50 Charlotte date night ideas that clock in at $20 and under]
What was your first impression of your date?
Tyler: She was very outgoing. She actually found me first and came up and said hi. Just from there, it was a good conversation and we immediately went inside. She was very outgoing and easy to talk to.
Jessica: To be honest, I was thankful I found him and I wasn’t standing around aimlessly looking for him. He immediately introduced himself and asked me questions about myself right off the bat. He made me feel like he was genuinely interested in getting to know me. I was able to see why I was matched up with him. He definitely fit the type of guy I am interested in as far as physical looks and personality goes.
How was the conversation and chemistry?
Tyler: The conversation was pretty good, we were pretty much able to keep it going throughout the night. I don’t think the chemistry was there just because we had different interests and were kind of looking for different things and were in different parts of life. She’s definitely more fresh out of college and just moved to a big city and looking for ways to get involved. I think a lot of our conversation came back to me giving advice on how I’ve gotten plugged into the Charlotte area. I have more routines going on and just in terms of interest-wise and next steps we kept picking different things. It was harder for us to come together.
Jessica: As far as chemistry goes, I find it hard to figure out if chemistry is there right off the bat. I try to give every guy a fair shot, and not rule out any possibilities. I left that night thinking “I would want to hear from him again” but I definitely wouldn’t feel devastated if he didn’t reach out to me.
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the conversation?
Tyler: The conversation, I’d give it a four. She was easy to talk to, but I didn’t feel a romantic spark.
Jessica: I would rate our conversation an 8. We were able to laugh and joke around with each other, which makes for a good date in my mind. I felt like Tyler could be a person that I could be friends with easily.
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the chemistry?
Tyler: I’d give it a 3.
Jessica: I would rate our chemistry a 6 or 7, because I felt like things were headed down a “let’s be friends” road rather than a “definitely more than friends” road.
Will there be a second date?
Tyler: No, I don’t think there will be a second date. It was cool to get to know someone else in Charlotte and to help her find ways to get involved in the Charlotte area.
Jessica: We exchanged numbers at the end of the night. I felt like I was open to going on another date. I’m not one to make the first move, so I figured I would let him reach out if he wanted to see me again.