6 DECEMBER 12, 2021M
aggie Helmus first applied to Date Lab in 2019, but at
the last minute, her match backed out. Then the
pandemic hit, and she returned home to live with her
parents in Florida, where she stopped dating entirely. “I started
dating when I g ot back to D.C. in June,” the 26-year-old said. “I
would love a r elationship, but if it’s not there, it’s not there.”
Mostly, she’s happy to meet new people after the social
isolation of the past year or so. But after her date was
confirmed, anxiety set in. She told me she thought, “Oh, jeez,
what did I get myself into?”
Her date, 24-year-old India Little, was in a similar head
space. Like Maggie, India had moved in with her parents in
North Carolina during the pandemic and had only recently
returned to D.C., where she has begun casually dating again.
When she saw a post for Date Lab on social media a couple of
months ago, she applied “on a w him.” (Later, she learned that a
friend of a friend had recently participated in the column.) “I
had zero expectation of it coming to anything,” India said. “I
thought it was a u nique thing and would be a c ool way to meet
new people. I’m not looking for anything in particular.”But nerves quickly arose ahead of the evening, and India
reached out to friends for advice. They told her “to not be
attached to any kind of outcome and to just be yourself.” After
putting on makeup and a simple black dress, she left her
apartment. But she was so nervous that she walked out in her
slippers. She made it a few feet into the hallway before noticing
that something was off. She went back, put on appropriate
shoes and headed for the Metro to get to the Gatsby restaurant
in Navy Yard.
Maggie’s pre-date preparation was also minimal. While she
got ready, she distracted herself by calling her dad to discuss
her upcoming trip to Italy, and asked her roommate for advice
on what to wear. She landed on ripped jeans, chunky platform
sandals and a flowy paisley tank top. Maggie’s commute was
easy: She simply walked over.
They arrived at the restaurant at the same time, with
Maggie entering just before India. For both, their jitters went
away almost immediately. “It was not as awkward or as
stressful as I had imagined,” India explained. “It felt easy. I
thought she was very friendly and outgoing.” Maggie’s first
impressions were similarly positive: “She’s super cute, tall, and
she didn’t seem standoffish. She just seemed really happy to be
there.”
Maggie ordered a chicken pot pie with a glass of riesling,
while India got a r oasted chicken and a strawberry and mint
cocktail. They also shared a plate of arancini as an appetizer‘Oh, jeez, what did
I get myself into?’
Date LabWITH PRACHI GUPTA
Maggie
Helmus
(left) is 26 and an
operations manager.
She is looking for a
partner who is funny,
tall and career-
driven.India Little
is 24 and a research
assistant. She is
looking to date
someone who is
sensitive, kind and
funny.Sign up for Date
Lab at washington
post.com/datelab.PHOTO: DANIELE SEISS