Introduced in 2017 as a lighthearted experiment in contemporary dating culture, the Marriage Pact has since evolved into a surprisingly popular and entertaining way for college students to connect and, for some, find potential life partners.
At Villanova, more than 60% of graduates supposedly find their match during their time on campus—a statistic that can create pressure for current students to meet “the one” before they graduate. The Marriage Pact provides a fresh, somewhat unconventional approach to exploring possible relationships. It sparks curiosity, conversation and perhaps even anxiety about students’ futures. So, what exactly is it, and why does it create so much excitement for students, whether looking for a little fun or a new potential partner?
“I think the Marriage Pact is very funny and it’s always interesting to see who everyone matches up with,” senior Emma Cahill said. “It definitely provides a lot of entertainment among my friends and I.”
The Marriage Pact is a simple online questionnaire with 50 detailed questions, asking respondents to rank their preferences on a scale from one to seven. The system uses these responses to match students with similar values, interests and relationship values. The name is based on the idea that if two students match, they might make a pact: if both are still single at a set time, they agree to get married. The quiz is a fun way to think about potential relationships and connections, and is not necessarily taken very seriously by all students.
“I didn’t do it freshman year, but I did it sophomore and junior year and I just think it’s such a silly, fun activity,” junior Sara Ridler said. “I have never reached out [to my marriage pact]. I just tell my friends. We don’t really do anything [with the information], we just think it’s funny.”
Villanova students submitted precisely 2,578 entries to the Marriage Pact database this year, and the results are in.
College students begin planning and mapping out their lives and making decisions about everything from where they will live to what they will do for a living. Of course, students may naturally think about who they will live with for the rest of their lives. Even if students claim they are merely taking the questionnaire “for fun,” quizzes like these instill a sense of urgency to find someone special before graduation.
Ultimately, the Marriage Pact is more about finding someone who shares your beliefs and priorities than finding the “perfect” match. It resembles a more thorough, deliberate dating app algorithm with a long-term commitment focus.
The Marriage Pact is a great way to meet new people and step outside the traditional dating circle. Much of the pressure and judgment that comes with traditional dating is eliminated by the anonymous feature. For some, it is a chance to connect with friends and classmates over a shared experience, even if they don’t take the outcome seriously.
“I ended up getting someone I know for the marriage pact which was quite funny,” Cahill said. “We now have a bit about the match among all our friends and we all had a good laugh about it.”
Even if taken lightheartedly, the Marriage Pact offers a unique validation of students’ current experiences and connections, turning an experiment into a fun, memorable outcome.
