Swiper NOO Swiping!

So as most of you know, Longwood University is switching to a One-Card system in the fall (hopefully). The new system is really cool because you can use your card to do laundry (bye bye quarters!:), get a drink or snack from the vending machine, or even go out to a fancy shmancy restraunt and have dinner with your Lancer ID!

This has actually been a long and drawn out process that has been in the works for years and it is way overdue. Just about every other school in the state has this type of system available to students and I think it's about time we join in on all the swiping fun!

When I initially covered the story I just covered the newsy stuff with the 4Ws and the H. You can check the story out here...



But afterwards I got to thinking about the social implications of this amazing new system. And I thought about how it might affect the dating scene...

Will this be the new cop out for guys and dating? Will it become taboo to use your ID card to pay for a date? Or will it be acceptable now that you can use it for more than just the dining hall and a few other select dining options????

So I sought out a guy's perspective and a girl's perspective before I made the call on this one. The male perspective is junior Jeffrey Ryan and the female perspective is junior Tate Leftwich, both students will be here next year to reap the benefits of this new One-Card system.

SIV: Have you ever swiped your id card for a date?

JR: Yeah, I do it all the time! Moe's is expensive!

SIV: How will the additonal options on the id card help you in terms of dating?

JR: It's not going to help my dating game, but it would be a good thing.

SIV: So what are your thoughts on swiping and dating?

JR: There's nothing wrong with it. One shouldn't be considered cheap because he took a girl the union (The Student Union Cafe')

SIV: When do you think it's ok to swipe on a date?

TL: If you were dating I think that would be kind of o.k. (but not on the first date) It doesn't substitute for a restraunt or going out to eat

SIV: How do you think this new and improved card will help students in terms of dating?

TL: I think it would just make it more convenient

SIV: Would it change your opinion of a guy if he paid with his Lancer Bucks (i.d. card) instead of his debit or credit card?

TL: We're all in college so we have an excuse at times to be a little cheap.

So even though this new card will allow you to use your card at vendors like Charley's Waterfront Cafe', Mulligan's Sports Grille, Papa John's, and Shoney's, it doesn't necessarily make it o.k. to use it their on dates.

I think if you're out with friends it's perfectly fine, but definitely NO FIRST DATES FELLAS!!! I think the first date is the opportunity for you to prove that you can afford to pay for at least one meal. And even though you are theoretically in a round about way still paying for the money on your card... it doesn't count! Not in this particular situation. The first date is cash or credit only. It just would look a little tacky to pull out your id card when the check comes.

Now if you have been dating, on the other hand, you should be comfortable enough where it doesn't really matter who pays or how it gets paid as long as someone pays for the meal. Using your i.d. card may simply be more convenient for the fellas than always using the debit or credit card. Plus, ladies, you want a man with good credit so using the card that already has cash on it might be better than charging all of those meals in the long run!

So overall this will be a good thing for us all, but just don't go the cheap, easy route on the first date. After that, ladies, we should be grateful that he's still paying, even if it is on his Lancer Card! Nowadays the Independent Woman Movement has come back like a boomerang to bite us in the butt and some guys just don't want to pay anymore at all! Ladies are paying now. So perhaps this new card system will be the great equalizer for us all.