Feelings of freshness, positivity and motivation radiated across the campus as first-years adjusted to college life and returning students moved back into their “home.” Friendships formed, relationships emerged, and naturally, small attractions developed between students. This warm environment quickly faded, however, as the reality of classes, reading and school work sunk in. To combat the stressful realities of college life, Resident Advisors (RAs) hosted the most-hyped wall of the year, Kiss Your Crush (KYC).

Traditionally, KYC was a wall hosted by students. This semester, however, KYC was hosted by RAs. This shift in authority resulted in a greater emphasis on the need to consent while substance-free, which is especially important to many first-year students.

Because of the beginnings of Hurricane Hermine, KYC was relocated to Ham Center. The venue, though not as romantic as Palm Court, definitely was a good party space. The playlist was described to be “bumping”; while some students couldn’t find their groove, others ended up dancing on top of tables.

“It felt like a fucking middle school dance,” first-year Michelle Lee said. There was definitely some tension in the air, but many students embraced the awkwardness and let their inner dancers out. The song selections did the event justice, as multiple students, covered in sweat and saliva, had to take frequent water breaks. The amount of dancing, excitement and overall energy of the room proved that the music significantly fit the occasion.  

Many people, unfortunately, did not enjoy the event; others, however, loved the opportunity to kiss strangers. It is difficult to judge the event from a generalized context, as experiences varied greatly from person to person. “Don’t go,” said first-year student Sarai Minot. “I kissed my crush!” exclaimed first-year student Tali Spiliadis. “Whoever said ‘don’t go’ is full of shit!” Spiliadis continued.

Students clearly reacted differently to this semester’s KYC; some enjoyed the night, others hated it. The significance, however, is that each individual’s feelings towards the event were justified through the emphasis of consent. The whole point of the event was to promote the importance of consent, and the varying perspectives of students reinforced this importance. The people that did not want to kiss strangers gained respect rather than ridicule; their feelings were validated rather than infringed upon.

Overall, the event was successful in promoting its intended cause: consent. In addition to successfully achieving this cause, KYC was full of liveliness and positivity. The party was fun and proved to be a good way to break the ice between students. The RAs put in a lot of time and effort to ensure that KYC was managed responsibly, and most of the student body seemed thankful for their efforts.