The college scene has changed a lot since the early days of online dating, where you bonded over songs in MySpace. Hinge, Tinder, Bumble, Grindr and sliding into Instagram direct messages have become the norm over in-person interactions. 

As the Bulls come back to campus, Ybor clubs and college bars trying to find a match, the question remains: are you a date-a-bull? 

DateABull.com was founded in 2002 by USF alumni Josh and Adam Baron and their friend Berry Matthewson after comparing their experience to the one of Florida State University (FSU) alums. Their FSU peers raved about the party school and active campus scene. 

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Tired of having to go downtown to meet people, the founders wanted to meet other college-aged people with similar interests in an easier manner. 

The website allowed all students over 18 years old from USF, Hillsborough Community College, Polk Community College, St. Pete Junior College and the University of Tampa to create a profile on the site. During the sign-up process, the website would ask the user’s gender, dating preferences and what campus they want to focus on. 

Users had free access to the website prior to 2003. After that, a monthly fee of $14.99 was required to use the site.

Sophomore Ashton Maddox said with that name, he would’ve given the site a try if it was still an option, the play in words is “just adorable.” 

“Just don’t use my school picture on that profile,” Maddox, an environmental science and policy major, said. 

Maddox is not alone. Sophomore Camryn Frost, an integrated public relations and advertising major, said she would appreciate the website in 2024. 

“I was an avid Hinge ‘girly’ a year ago,” she said. “Most people I matched with were from USF anyway, so it would be extra convenient to have DateABull.” 

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In 2004, the website joined the Student Dates network – another service for dating in college that was discontinued around 2017 – and abandoned the DateABull domain, according to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. 

The domain was later purchased in 2014, rebranding the website to a sexual encounter platform. The description states “These Bulls Can Do What Your Husband Can’t.”

Some just don’t find online dating to be their ‘cup of tea.’

Sophomore Kemuel Perez said he is not into the “dating app scene” and would rather meet someone organically on campus. Perez, a mechanical engineering major, said he would prefer to socialize with peers during events or club meetings.

“I think the campus has a lot to offer, like campus events from [the Campus Activities Board], and especially with the amount of students they do have here,” Perez said. 

The original site also included an entertainment section and dating tips attached to complementary articles, all displayed in a traditional USF-green background. DateABull also included a calendar for university events, similar to BullsConnect now. 

The “DateABull” domain is no longer registered under any owner. 

Frost said there are opportunities to meet on campus, but a site such as DateABull would facilitate interactions for those with social anxiety. The site would also be a good way to disguise the fact that you met your partner online, she said.

“Nobody has to know,” Frost said. “If they ask ‘Oh where did you meet’ I would just say: ‘College.’” 

Additional reporting by Aaron Mammah.