In this episode, host Cassandra Ryder interviews Dr. Jess Dominguez (she/her) about her bad date stories! These stories serve as a great reminder that not all bad dates lead to the end of a relationship, and can instead strengthen relationships and bring people closer together. Listen to find out how troublesome it can be when a random stranger inserts themselves into your first date conversation, why mystery beer vending machines in dive bars can be a great date activity, and what you can expect when your date needs an EpiPen halfway through dinner. As bonus content, you will also hear Cassandra blatantly forget her own dissertation co-advisor’s research (sorry Dr. Sharabi!). Along the way, Cassandra and Jess discuss communication concepts such as homophily, social penetration theory, and the communicative interdependence perspective.

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