One of my favorite couples met once upon a blind date. Now, 10 years later, they are married with a 2-year-old daughter.

Despite hearing this story, I have always been skeptical of the concept. Why would someone spend an evening having dinner with a complete stranger? It sounded incredibly awkward.

When I was asked if I wanted to go on a blind date, I said sure. I was still not sure if I believed in them, but I figured it would be an adventure. Worst comes to worst, it's just one bad evening, right?

My first job was to find a date. I asked my friend and fellow Daily staffer to set me up.

The first thing I learned about blind dating in 2006: It's not so blind when your friend shows you Facebook profiles first. While flipping through the profiles, he asked me what kind of guy I wanted to go out with.

In the end, my date ended up being a pretty random pick. However, I did raise an eyebrow when he was described as being "very" into fraternity life and having a "thing" for Asian girls.

We didn't spend much time looking at the profile, but I got a rundown of what my date looked like, what year he was and what fraternity he lived in. If I had spent more time on Facebook, I would have gotten his major, interests, friends, hometown and pictures all without having to meet first.

One of the most awkward parts of the entire situation was setting up the date. A co-worker made the phone call while the rest of us laughed in the background. I tried to set up a coffee date but was told I had to have dinner. In order to find one another, each of us said what we would be wearing. As someone who likes to make my own plans and company, this was the first moment I began to wonder why I agreed to this.

The second thing I learned about blind dating is that clothing may not be a good way to identify someone. I told my date I'd be wearing a colorful scarf. I ended up having to pick an outfit that revolved around the scarf, and it was pouring.

The day of the date, I put it off as long as I could by sitting in a coffee shop with a friend until minutes before the meeting time. Truth be told, I was getting more skeptical by the minute.

Outside the restaurant, a guy was giving me a weird look, so I thought maybe he was my date. He did not look a thing like the picture, but I asked him if he was anyway. He shook his head. I was relieved but felt silly for asking a random person if he was my date. I hoped I did not have to ask any more wrong people.

Luckily, it was pretty easy to find my date once I got inside. He seemed to recognize me instantly. I recognized his outfit, but he did not look like his pictures. He put his hand out for me to shake.

Upon first impression, he was tall, well-dressed and well-mannered.

When he introduced himself as Jeff, I told him I was expecting "Andy." He admitted there had been a change of plans and no one had told me, so my date was even more random, nothing I had learned about him was now applicable.

I've always been told I could maintain a conversation with a wall, a skill I worried I may have to put to use in this event. Luckily, we began talking easily.

Jeff was a sophomore planning to major in mechanical engineering. He had lived in Seattle his entire life; I spent my childhood shuffling around the world. He talked about his love for cars; I know nothing about cars.

Some common ground turned out to be that both of us were not sure what we wanted to do with our lives and enjoyed traveling. I told him about my travels in England and China, and he told me about his trip to Australia.

The conversation flowed through dinner with ease. In fact, I hardly remember my food.

It was general get-to-know-you chitchat with much less awkwardness than I expected. I never felt that I was just talking to fill time. He was genuinely interesting.

The only interruption was a phone call he answered.

After dinner, he showed me around his fraternity before walking me back.

At the end of the night when I told him I enjoyed meeting and getting to know him, I genuinely meant it. I met someone whom I probably would not have met under any other circumstances. The blind dating thing did not turn out to be as weird or creepy as I worried it might be.

It seemd like the odds of a match were less likely since there was no foreseen chemistry and neither member chose the date, but I wouldn't rule it out.

I suppose there's a chance I to might meet Mr. Right through a blind date, but maybe not. There's a chance I could meet someone with whom I'd have a second date — or not.

Either way though, it turns out, it can be a fun way to meet someone new you may not meet otherwise and maybe, make a new friend.

At least you'll probably get a good story out of it.

Reporter Ninette Chang: ninettechang@thedaily.washington.edu