Students launch blind date service to combat loneliness

In Scotland, two students from Glasgow University, Juliette Sartori from the United States and Mary Yiorkadji originally from Cyprus, established a new social initiative called Dinner with a Stranger. The aim of this initiative is to provide a platonic matchmaking service for individuals, particularly students, who experience feelings of isolation and struggle to forge meaningful connections with others. The impetus for this project arises from the growing concerns about loneliness among young people, a challenge that has become more pronounced in the age of social media where superficial interactions are common and genuine relationships can be hard to cultivate. Juliette Sartori, who moved to Scotland for her studies in business and management, expressed her personal challenges in building quick friendships within the new environment. She highlighted that many people, including herself, find it difficult to immediately connect with others, indicating a wider issue of social isolation among students in university settings. The concept behind Dinner with a Stranger is to create opportunities for interpersonal connections by pairing individuals who have few mutual friends and facilitating a comfortable social environment for them to engage. This innovative approach to combatting loneliness not only provides a fresh avenue for forming friendships but also addresses the mental health impacts associated with isolation. By creating an inclusive space for students to meet and interact, the service aims to encourage networking and foster connections that may lead to deeper friendships. The service positions itself as a counter-narrative to the prevalent reliance on technology for social interactions, encouraging real-life connections in a world increasingly mediated by screens. As the project gains traction, it reflects a broader cultural shift towards recognizing the importance of mental wellness and the need for social support systems in educational settings. The founders hope that the Dinner with a Stranger initiative will inspire other similar networks to emerge and contribute to reducing feelings of loneliness and promoting community among students, making the university experience more fulfilling and connected for everyone involved.