By Ann-Marie AlcĚÁntara
If you’ve ever pined after a beautiful stranger on Muni but couldn’t work up the nerve to introduce yourself, a new site could change your life (or just your commute). But only if you ride the N-Judah.
We Met On The N functions just like the missed connections on Craigslist. You can select if you’re a male or female, write a short description of the one who got away, and also describe yourself. The message then gets posted and people can respond if they think it’s them you’re talking about. The posts from the past month will show up on the homepage and help keep the site up-to-date.
Why the need for another missed connections website when Craigslist is still as active and creepy as ever? Alex Lee, the site’s creator, thinks it could be more successful at connecting people because it’s hyperlocal. After all, the idea came to him when he saw a guy sit next to a girl on the N and introduce himself — a rare sight. As Lee put it, “If you spot an interesting person on the N, your chances of getting a response from a missed connections post is probably much better by turning to our website as opposed to a giant like Craigslist.”
While the idea could work on any line, Lee was most familiar with the N, and since it’s the busiest line in the city, it just made more sense to start there. “There must be a lot of people who want to introduce themselves to someone they find interesting or attractive, but it’s just too painfully awkward. Or crowded. It is the N, after all,” Lee said. As someone who regularly rides the N squished in between 10 other people (while praying I don’t fall and cause a domino effect), I can verify that the last thing you’re thinking of is introducing yourself to someone attractive when you just dropped your smartphone on their lap.
Besides, dating is painful and awkward, so instead of hoping that person from trivia night will finally ask you out, you could try a missed connection. As Lee said, “We want people to find love! Happiness! And make beautiful babies who will also take the N-Judah, and stand in the middle-accordion-connecting part in between trains, because that’s just clearly the way to go.” Truer words have never been spoken.
Next time you take the N, maybe you’ll find someone looking down at his or her phone posting a missed connection instead of swiping right. Here’s to hoping we all find love on the N-Judah.
Top photo courtesy of Charles Haynes/Flickr.
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