UAF Pub puts a spin on Valentine’s Day

Story and photos by Britany Adorno-Alicea

Buddy or Boo pairs had 5 minutes of conversation to get to know each other.

Valentine’s day is one day out of the year that everyone gets to celebrate the people they love and it often leaves out all the people who don’t have a commitment like that. Enter Buddy or Boo speed dating.

The Buddy or Boo event on Saturday night was designed to be a fun twist on casual speed dating, offering a chance for participants to find either a spark or a good friend. The event was set up to be non-gendered, to encourage participants to not only look for romance but to also look for friendship.

The Pub at the University of Alaska Fairbanks decided they wanted to do something special for this Valentine’s day and put together their own spin on typical speed dating. New pub manager Brandi McDermott proposed the question, “What are some things people want to see?” and staff member Cy Dowd jumped at the opportunity to suggest speed dating.

“We’ve been talking about it for a while and we thought it would be fun,” said Dowd. “Society holds romantic relationships to a higher standard, and makes people feel like their life would feel more complete with a partner.”

Valentine’s treats served for the participants of the Buddy or Boo event at The Pub on Feb. 14, 2026.

“It’s great if you find that, but we should also be investing time in our friends,” Dowd said. “I wanted a place where people could come and chat with other people and also want more people in their lives.”

Dowd went on to explain that it's harder to make friends when everyone already has their own friend groups, and that having a place to go to that's intentionally designed for other people who are interested in meeting others is a nice thing to have.

The Buddy or Boo event was hosted by Pub employee Robbie Hoskins, directing all the participants through the conversations.

There were a total of six rotations, with one bonus round in between of musical chairs to loosen up any tensions. Each pair was given 5 minutes to chat and get to know their partner. Valentine’s day themed treats were served, such as chocolate covered strawberries and pretzels.

There were a total of 11 participants, which turned out to be a better turn out than Dowd had expected. At least two pairs left as buddies or boos, and everyone enjoyed themselves and the conversations they had. Dowd considered this year's Valentine’s day event a success, and they are hopeful that the next to follow will bring a bigger turn out.