“Come for fun, stay for love.”

That was the motto for the 200-plus ISU students who went on three-minute mini dates at Instant Dating on Monday night at the Union Drive Community Center, and students in attendance certainly embodied that phrase.

Members of the Instant Dating organization spent much of the night dragging extra chairs into the room. Within 30 minutes of the event starting, every chair was full and it was standing room only for the speed daters.

Michael Severin, graduate student in biomedical sciences and Instant Dating’s adviser, ran the event. “College students want to meet people,” Severin said. “We want to provide an alcohol-free social alternative.”

For many of the students who attended, this was their first experience with any sort of speed dating. Not everyone at the event was looking for an actual date. Some were more interested in having a good time and socializing.

“It seems fun,” said Aaron Slaichert, senior in industrial technology. “It’s a really good chance to meet new people.”

A few students had more unique reasons for going out to speed date. “It’s really exciting,” said Natasha Mulvaney, senior in English. Her reason for attending was “to confirm [her] good looks.”

Instant Dating has been popular in the past. At the last Valentine’s Day event, 216 students were in attendance. The Instant Dating organization tracks the success of its past events and has found that 85 percent of people who attended found a mutual match, and within two weeks at least 60 percent had been on at least one date.

Ashley Watson, sophomore in microbiology, said this was her second time attending speed dating. “It’s different,” Watson said, “but it’s really awesome.”

Anyone wanting to speed date had to pay a $10 charge at the door. Most of that goes to cover the event’s expenses, but whatever money is left over is donated. Past beneficiaries have been the Ames Animal Shelter and campus organizations.

Anyone is welcome to attend Instant Dating, Severin said. Attendees of Monday night’s event found a ratio of males to females of about 2-to-1. Severin also said that Instant Dating is intended to be all-inclusive, including for LGBT students.

In 2004, when Instant Dating was started, the organization approached the LGBT Alliance and offered to help organize a concurrent or separate event. Severin said that LGBTA has been invited to every event, but has always opted to not attend.