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Freshman computer science major Tahmid Bhuiyan works\u00a0on his\u00a0app, Pegasus Pair, on Saturday in the John C. Hitt Library, patching up bugs prior to launch day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Carter Pham<\/p>\n
A new matchmaking website created by UCF students launched Monday to help students make lasting relationships, both platonic and romantic, on campus.<\/p>\n
Pegasus Pair<\/a> is an app created exclusively for students at the university. The website launched early Monday morning, and students can now join and fill out a survey to find potential matches later this month.<\/p>\n The app was founded by Joshua Mariano, freshman philosophy major, who said building connections is one of the most important parts of the college experience.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause UCF is so big, and so many people only come to campus for their classes, I found that finding these connections can be especially hard,\u201d Mariano said. \u201cI knew the idea was already vetted for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Unlike traditional dating or friendship-finding apps, Pegasus Pair follows a set schedule of events. After students create a profile on the website by verifying their identity using their UCF email, they are invited to complete a 30-second survey. The survey is based on students\u2019 personalities\u00a0and values.<\/p>\n \u201cOur matching system is based off of vector math to make sure that your connections are actually high-quality,\u201d said Tahmid Bhuiyan, freshman computer science major and software developer of Pegasus Pair.<\/p>\n Once the survey is completed, students will wait until \u201cmatch day\u201d to receive their matches, including potential romantic partners and friends alike. Mariano said the first match day will be on April 20. In the future, match days will take place once per semester.<\/p>\n Freshman aerospace engineering major Aryan Prasad (left) and freshman philosophy major Joshua Mariano filming a video for their Instagram story on March 23 in the John C. Hitt Library, asking followers to choose which Pegasus Pair flyer they’d be more likely to scan.\u00a0<\/p>\n Courtesy of Adelyne Brantley<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re more like a Fortnite event,\u201d Bhuiyan said. \u201cWe\u2019re like a limited-time event. You only have, like, a two-week window to submit your survey and get your matches.\u201d<\/p>\n Pegasus Pair features two preference toggles \u2013 one for friends, one for romance \u2013 that students can choose from. Both options can be selected as well.<\/p>\n Adelyne Brantley, freshman marketing major and marketing lead of Pegasus Pair, said having different options on the website makes it better.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like a lot of the apps that are targeted out there are for dating and relationships,\u201d Brantley said, \u201cBut some people just don\u2019t want that.\u201d<\/p>\n She said the app gives\u00a0students\u00a0more freedom to decide what to do when matches drop.<\/p>\n Mariano said he hopes the platform will become large enough that\u00a0they no longer need to advertise.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we could host events where people come and try to find their matches as the clock ticks down on drop day, that would be cool too,\u201d Mariano said.<\/p>\n Students can find Pegasus Pair at PegasusPair.com<\/a> or by following the team\u00a0on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n