For students, one of the greatest draws of HBS is the extensive alumni network and the opportunity to build lifelong friendships within their own 90 person section. In fact, when it comes to building networks, HBS students are highly successful at both cultivating friendships and translating network contacts into job offers. The only thing HBSers can’t seem to obtain from their networks is LOVE. In a recent poll 75% of responders cited that HBS was a difficult place to find love. Why is it that building our network ends with friendship and nothing more? Why can’t we leverage the HBS network to find love?
Perhaps one reason love doesn’t come knocking quite as often as we would like, is in part due to the incredible amount of time spent socializing within Section. While there may be some willing to engage in intra-section dating, most HBSers find intra-section love as borderline incestuous. Then, of course, there is the near certainty that your new relationship will add fodder to Friday’s skydeck awards, which is enough to make the faint at heart hesitant, to say the least.
For others, many rely on building relationships by meeting people at parties or through friends. Unfortunately, these relationships have failed to pass the test of time. The average HBSer has dated 2.86 people within the community and many are still without that special someone on Valentine’s Day!
The last resort for those tired of seeking love in all the wrong places is to let friends fix them up (or *gasp* try Match.com). However, for a community comprised largely of type A, control freaks, relinquishing power over their love lives proves an unnerving task for HBS students. In addition, it appears that many students are unwilling or too embarrassed to dedicate the time (or resources) to finding that special someone.
Here’s where the Harbus comes to the rescue. We’ve provided the background research to help those unsure of just how to go about navigating the HBS love scene. Our results show that: seventy percent of HBSers have been loyal to their significant others; the longest HBS relationship on average lasted 2.7 years, while a breakup can occur in as short as 1.4 months; and, in terms of turn offs, unless you have bad body odor, stinky breath or a unibrow, you will generally be considered eligible to the majority of the single student body.
More importantly, the Harbus has searched high and low to bring you HBS’ most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. We asked students throughout the community to nominate their most datable friends and came up with a fabulous group of singles that have provided their profiles for the Harbus. So, as winter starts to fade and you consider emerging from your hibernation in One Western, you just may want to step outside your comfort zone and ask one of these eligible HBSers out on a date! Leverage your HBS resources and let the Harbus help you find love.