I Went Looking For An Article And Got A Date Instead: RAG Take Me Out

Until this week, I would have confidently told you that competing in a dating show was something I’d never do. Going up on stage in front of a large audience to judge how dateable a complete stranger is, based on a random talent and a few quick quips, all whilst trying to be entertaining and likeable, sounded like my idea of hell. However, when I saw that RAG (the University’s Raising and Giving initiative) were still looking for participants for their annual charity dating show; a live version of the hit 2010s show Take Me Out; I came up with the crazy idea to participate, instead of watch. I have no idea where this bravery came from, but hey, what can I say – I’m a journalist who’s dedicated to her craft.

Arriving at the Buchanan Building, I was ushered into a seminar room where I had a pretty terrible Spanish exam last semester. It was a strange way to start the event, but in no way was that the weirdest part of the evening. The ‘talent’ participants (those showing off in hopes of securing a date) were kept separate from the ‘podium’ participants (those judging if a date would be secured) – no sneak peeks allowed. If you’re not familiar with Take Me Out, I would recommend watching an episode of the original show for research purposes – that’s what a group of us had to do backstage, when we realised that we didn’t really know what we’d gotten ourselves into. Once we had been sorted based on sexuality and the first group were taken onstage, the remainder sat together, slightly manic with anxious energy. Although we’d just met, the atmosphere was strangely intimate as we confessed deep secrets – the nature of which will remain unpublished.

Thankfully, before I revealed too much, I managed to convince a couple of my new friends to sneak away and watch the first group on stage from the back of the theatre, feeling a bit like kids at a school dance who’d escaped the teachers and now had free rein over the empty classrooms and silent hallways. The first round was high-energy and hilarious, with mixed responses on whether a date would be welcome , but ultimately, a new happy couple was formed. 

Piper Jenkins, the Head of RAG and the show’s charismatic host, was its undisputed star. She managed the stage with ease and confidence, and the audience responded with energy and enthusiasm: clapping, laughing, and whooping – with only a few boos now and then, including when I admitted CS students are a red flag – sorry...

Being onstage was exhilarating, yet terrifying. I remember looking anxiously for my friends in the audience, being more impressed by the male contestant’s frisbee-throwing than I ever thought I could be, and exchanging a fair bit of intense eye contact. I must have done something right though, because I ended up with plans for a coffee date to Aikmans three days later – a crazy answer to “what’s your ideal St Andrews first date,” by the way.

Overall, the event was incredibly well run (even from amongst the chaos backstage), and the success of the night – raising over £2,100 from ticket sales alone – is definitely a testament to the hard work from Piper and the whole RAG team.

In a world of hook-ups and dating apps, it was a refreshing change to have a date set; only the time and day, and no way of contacting each other prior; with a cute boy that you’ve met for just a few minutes, even if your only knowledge of him is his love of Ultimate Frisbee. Sometimes, success can come from the silliest and most unexpected of places!

Photo: RAG