Opposites Attract in Datamatch

It encouraged forbidden love, matched up current couples and gave hope to more than 1,600 students searching for computer-assisted romance on Valentine’s Day.

Datamatch, the annual online survey sponsored by the Harvard Computer Society, swept the campus again Friday, informing students of their top ten “most compatible” matches.

With the results from offbeat questions such as “You’re stuck in an elevator. What do you do?” the survey surprised students both by confirming existing matches and bringing opposites together.

Though former president of the Harvard College Democrats, Sonia H. Kastner ’03 was told she’d find love on the opposite side of the aisle—the survey matched her with a Republican.

Like others, Kastner took the surprise in stride.

“I just thought it was funny,” Kastner said. “I knew I was going to get someone political because I gave some political answers.”

For Lorrayne S. Ward ’03, a date with her top match is strictly forbidden—she is his prefect in Canaday C-entryway.

“He sent me an e-mail saying it was destiny,” Ward said. “He said ‘I knew we were meant to be.’”

The star-crossed match will never get together, Ward said, courtesy of strict rules against prefect-prefectee relations.

The top match for Elizabeth B. Wood ’06 was an alumnus of the College, who contacted Wood Saturday via e-mail.

“I was surprised he was writing me, a freshman,” she said.

Wood said her boyfriend was not amused by the attention from an older man.

Alex D. Hoffer ’06 said she was also matched with an alumnus, as well as with her friend’s ex-boyfriend.

Hoffer said she “cracked up” when she saw the familiar name, but that her friend was supportive. “She told me to go out with him,” Hoffer said.

Most students said yesterday that they did not contact their matches.

Sean T. Tom ’06 said that he was paired with non-first-years, which discouraged him from making contact.

Datamatch Project Manager Bryan J. Parno ’04, who is also a Crimson executive, said that Datamatch was created in 1995 by HCS members who thought the system would be a public service.

Parno said he received suggestions from various Datamatch users to help turn electronic compatibility into true love—or at least a date.

The Kennedy School, which has a system similar to Datamatch, has a face-to-face party to let participants meet.

But Parno said no similar event was planned for the College.

“Most people seem pretty pleased with the way it turned out,” he said.

Parno himself was matched up with his girlfriend, and claims he did not tamper with the results.