During the week of Valentine’s Day, the Undergraduate Student Assembly (UGSA) hosted a series of events themed around love on Howard’s campus.
The week started with a Greek night at the basketball game on Monday. On Tuesday, students were invited to an open mic night. On Feb. 11, an R&B party was hosted in Punchout. Other events included ‘Bouquets and love,’ ‘Cuffing Szn’ and Candy Grams.
Robyn Tate, a junior broadcast journalism major fromWinston-Salem, North Carolina, is a member of UGSA and hosted this week’s events.
Tate has observed that students appreciate opportunities that are outside of academics so they can “just breathe.”
“Valentine’s Day can mean different things to different people, so having a series of events instead of just one allowed us to create space for everyone,” Tate said.
The week of events was inspired by various trends on the internet and what feels authentic to the campus. One of the most popular events hosted was ‘Bison Bachelor,’ which was Howard’s adaptation of Pop the Balloon. It’s a YouTube where contestants pop someone’s balloon if they’re not interested. Pop the Balloon was created by Arlette Amuli and Bolia Matundu, which soon became popular on social media. .
“It wasn’t just about chasing the trend, we wanted interactive experiences that would translate well in person and actually get students involved,” Tate said.
Tate knew that ‘Bison Bachelor’ was bound to be a success.
“As a host, there’s nothing better than feeling the crowd respond. All the laughter, the reactions, the engagement. That’s when you know the event is working and coming to life,” Tate said.
Armoni Green, a freshman biology major from St. Louis Missouri, was drawn to the event because she wanted to get more involved on campus.
She approached the event with curiosity and was excited to meet new people.
“My personal reason was to actually get the college experience I desperately wanted and constantly heard people talking about,” Green said.
Ka’Darius McNair, a graduating senior, TV and Film major and theatre arts minor from Virginia Beach, was a contestant on ‘Bison Bachelor.’ McNair said curiosity drew him to participate, seeking to experience something outside of his comfort zone.
“Watching ‘Pop the Balloon’ series online, I’ve seen how fun and entertaining it could be,” McNair said.
The possibility of a real connection made him want to experience it for himself, rather than just watching from a distance.
“I approached it more as a lighthearted experience,” McNair said. Despite the lack of LGBTQIA+ representation at the event, he made the most of the moment.
“Overall, it felt like a moment of enjoyment, creativity and self-expression,” McNair said.
Copy edited by D’Nyah Jefferson – Philmore
