Today’s date of 11/11/11 may just be an interesting repeating pattern, but some new age theorists and numerologists believe this date will bring balance to the universe and open new realms of human understanding.
Professor Darrin Doud, speaking on behalf of the BYU Mathematics Department, debunks these theories.
“The general consensus here is that numerology is considered superstition,” Doud said.
If Doud is right and 11/11 doesn’t turn out to be a universe-altering date opening doors to another dimension, then what is the proper way to celebrate this historic day?
Couples across the nation are choosing 11/11/11 as their wedding date to remember this once-in-a -lifetime palindrome date.
Earlier this week msnbc reported that Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, has received over 3,500 marriage applications for 11/11. More than 100 chapels up and down the strip are offering 11/11/11 packages and the Clark County office is working overtime to keep the average marriage application process time to 20 minutes.
The Corduroy Appreciation Club, headquartered in Brooklyn, NY., has declared 11/11/11 to be the date which most closely resembles corduroy. Club chapters across the nation will meet today and hold “The Grandest Meeting,” while following the mandate to wear at least two articles of corduroy clothing to club meetings.
The numbers in 11/11/11 also resemble sticks, a word in Chinese used to describe a single person. Less than two decades ago, four Chinese college students started a holiday recognizing 11/11 as Singles Day, a celebration of single life or a reverse Valentines Day.
Rachel Yu Liu, a visiting assistant professor from China working for the Chinese Flagship Program, explained the holiday festivities which started with simple karaoke parties have become commercialized and widely recognized.
“Recently it is more and more popular,” Liu said. “It started in 1993 in Nanjing University and has spread all over China.”
Though the cultural holiday celebrates being single, there is a strong emphasis on leaving the unattached lifestyle. The Chinese do so with speed dating parties, blind dates or just taking the day as an opportunity to tell someone you have feelings for them. Liu thinks this holiday lends itself to being easily adopted into the Provo holiday calendar.
“Especially with the culture at BYU — everyone wants to date someone,” Liu said.
Lauren Ravsten, a psychology major from Huntington Beach, Calif., plans to recognize the unique date by celebrating her birthday. Growing up, her birthday always meant a welcome day without school because it aligned with Veterans Day. Though Ravsten will attend lectures today, she has special plans to make her birthday wish count.
“I am planning on making one seriously loaded birthday wish on 11/11/11 at 11:11,” Ravsten said. “You could not wish for a more magical moment than this for a wish in general. This is not a wish to be wasted, folks.”
