The Hinge Experiment: What Have I Gotten Myself Into Now? 🧙‍♂️🌲🗽

I don't know what I did to myself. Seriously. I may come to regret this. 😂

When I started this Hinge experiment, I certainly didn't expect it to turn into road trips, Brazilian steakhouses, early-morning drives to Atlanta, Harry Potter adventures, and now... a Black Friday weekend trip to New York City.

But here we are!

It All Started With a Fraternity Brother

I've been sharing some of the time I've spent with Airica, and so far, we've had a great time together. We're exploring new places, making memories, laughing, eating entirely too much food, and seeing where this adventure takes us.

Enter one of my fraternity brothers. For this story, we'll call him Roach. That's his pledge name, among other names he's been called over the years. 🤣

Roach sent me a link to something he thought might be worth checking out:

🪄 Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience

If you're unfamiliar with it, go check out the website. It sounded like a pretty cool experience, and naturally, I mentioned it to Airica.

And guess what happened next?

We're Going to New York!

That's right. We're heading to New York City for Black Friday weekend!

Apparently, mentioning an interesting event to Airica is how I accidentally end up planning another adventure. I should probably be more careful about the links I open. 😂

Our plans are shaping up to include:

🌲 Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience — because apparently, we haven't had enough wizarding-world adventures after our trip to COSM Atlanta.

🎭 A matinee performance of The Nutcracker — a little holiday magic and culture to balance out all the Harry Potter excitement.

🍽️ Some awesome food — because let's be realistic. No trip with me is complete without figuring out where we're going to eat.

💎 A stop at a Pandora shop — because apparently, shopping is now part of the itinerary, too!

And that's how a simple link from Roach turned into a weekend in New York.

Visiting More of Airica's People

Another part of this adventure is visiting more of Airica's people.

That's a meaningful part of getting to know someone. You're not just sharing experiences with that person; you're gradually getting a glimpse into what matters to them, their places, people, and things.

I'm looking forward to the trip, the activities, the food, and making more memories together.

Of course, I also realize that traveling to New York over Black Friday weekend means dealing with holiday crowds, traffic, and the possibility that everyone else in the tri-state area has the same idea we do.

What could possibly go wrong?

I mean, I already drove more than 600 miles for Harry Potter on approximately two hours of sleep. Clearly, my decision-making process deserves further examination. 🤦‍♂️

Steve the Iguana Is Getting Nervous

For those following along with The Hinge Experiment, you may remember Steve the Iguana, my imaginary retirement plan for when I finally give up on dating.

Well, Steve might want to hold off on making any reservations.

Between the road trips, the food, the laughs, and now a Black Friday weekend in New York, this experiment is turning into quite an adventure.

I still don't know where this will lead. We're getting to know each other, enjoying our time together, and planning new experiences. That's enough for now.

But I do know one thing: I didn't expect Hinge to lead me to a Harry Potter forest, a Nutcracker matinee, and a trip to New York City.

Roach, if you're reading this, I'm blaming you. You sent the link!

And Airica? Start getting ready. We're going to New York!

Wish me luck. I have a feeling I'll need it. 😂