From The Straits Times    |

Photo: Abigail Kang

“I was a Master’s student in Los Angeles, working on a research project for my social media marketing class. My assignment was to interview 10 people about their social media usage.

I decided to talk to complete strangers and allow the topic of social media to come up organically in conversation. Like any sensible millennial, I turned to the Internet to find my subjects. 

Reddit was my platform of choice as it seemed like a good way to connect with like-minded people. I stumbled across a page called ‘Cuddle Buddies’, meant for people whose common interest is cuddling. It seemed as good a place as any to find potential interviewees. ‘Seeking platonic hugs in downtown Los Angeles,’ I wrote. Then, I sat back and waited for responses. 

 

READ MORE: True story: “My naked online date turned out to be my brother”

 

I arranged to meet in person in a crowded public place near my apartment. After screening out all the weirdos (like people who sent me nudes or wanted to have sex), I ended up with an interesting bunch, from a reality-TV producer to a detective. 

My final interviewee, Trevor, was a tall, slender man who showed up in a Punisher T-shirt. The first thing he said when he saw me was, ‘You’re real!’. 

 

Photo: Abigail Kang

 

He went on to explain that he thought my ad was hilarious, and figured it was a prank. He had shown up out of pure curiosity, just to see who would have posted such an ad. I laughed. We sat down to chat, and our chemistry was undeniable. After the interview, he asked me out on a proper date, and the rest is history. We got married three years later. 

Frankly, the social media marketing class was a terrible waste of time. It didn’t teach me anything, and I would say I gained nothing from it other than a good grade. Oh, and a husband. So maybe it wasn’t too bad, after all.”

READ MORE: 7 tips to matchmake your friends

 

This article was originally published in the February 2018 issue of Her World.