ANN ARBOR, MI — The University of Michigan has moved classes online and told students to go home if they’re able, throwing a wrench into the plans of any campus romantics who have been working up the courage to walk across the Diag and ask out their crush.

That’s why three UM students have created Crush’d Michigan, a website that allows students to look up their love interest via the MCommunity directory and anonymously “crush a classmate.”

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If there’s a match, a mutual “crush," contact information is shared via the website, and an online courtship can begin.

“Hey Wolverines! Coronavirus is here, school is ending, and this might be your last chance to make a move on classmates you may never see again," the website reads. “... Will it feel like a game? Perhaps. But isn’t that the fun of it?”

James Baker, a senior at UM, said he noticed how popular similar websites were at Dartmouth College and the University of Maryland, so he and a couple of friends decided it would be a fun service to bring to UM.

“From a technical standpoint, it’s pretty straightforward, but it brings an interesting concept to life,” said Baker, a computer science major from Scarsdale, New York.

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Baker said the website is just for users with @umich.edu email addresses, but he and co-creators Chris Monteferrante and Marc Noeh said they might plan on expanding, depending on the success of the website with UM students.

According to the website, there are more than 550 crushes so far, and what users do once matched is up to them. Baker said it’s a kind of hybrid between standard dating applications and somewhat exclusive social networks.

“Crush’d is highly specific,” Baker said. “You need to know how to identify information about the user you are attempting to anonymously crush. In that sense, it is much more personal and may lead to more meaningful connections.”

Because both students must mutually like each other, Baker said the service is an example of how technology can solve fundamental social problems between humans, and a platform like Crush’d doesn’t exist in the school setting today.

The website at the University of Maryland, called TerpMatch, was used by more than 6,000 students, according to The Washington Post, with nearly 900 students signing up in the first few days. Baker, Monteferrante and Noeh didn’t have a hand in creating the Marlyand site, but a lot of their inspiration was derived from it.

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UM last week canceled commencement ceremonies, moved classes online and urged students to go home and not to gather socially in an effort to limit the spread of the new coronavirus and the resulting illness, COVID-19.

“Obviously we don’t want to encourage students not to social distance due to health concerns, but it’s a fun way to connect with students you otherwise may have never had the chance to talk to because of coronavirus or otherwise,” Baker said.

More information on Crush’d Michigan can be found here.

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PREVENTION TIPS

Michigan’s State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

· Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

· Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same.

· Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

· Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

· Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

· Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available.

· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces (computers, keyboards, desks, etc.).

· It’s not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.