To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the Colgate University community hosts many themed events, many of which are planned by the student leaders of Colgate’s organizations and clubs. With a packed week of events, let’s take a look at some of the opportunities that Colgate offered students on campus to connect with others this week, and maybe even find their special Valentine.
On Feb. 13, the Colgate Japanese Cultural Club (CJCC) hosted its fourth annual “Ramentine’s Day” event at 6 p.m. at the ALANA Cultural Center. The president of CJCC, sophomore Koko Nagatomo, explained the role of Valentine’s Day in Japan.
“Valentine’s Day is a very popular holiday in Japan. It usually involves making homemade candy and chocolate for friends, family and someone you have feelings for,” Nagatomo said. “Rather than center our event around chocolate, CJCC chose to use ramen as our medium.”
The CJCC provided free instant ramen from Japan for anyone attending the event. Organizers selected specific types of ramen aimed toward introducing the Colgate community to new flavors that are popular in Japan but less common in the U.S., including traditional flavors such as tonkotsu (pork bone broth), shoyu (soy sauce) and black garlic.
“I believe that one of the best ways to foster cultural exchange and education is through food. You can engage with a culture and learn about their traditions and history through the flavors they incorporate in their food,” Nagatomo said. “It might just seem like free instant ramen, but our hope is that students use this event as an opportunity to explore new flavors, meet new people and learn something new about Japanese culture.”
The celebrations won’t end there! On Feb. 14, LGBTQ+ Initiatives and the Shaw Wellness Institute will host their third annual Cupid’s Fever: Sex Toys Bingo event, where attendees will have the opportunity to play a game of “spicy” bingo, spend time with their peers and learn more about sexuality and sexual health. Cupid’s Fever will be hosted in the O’Connor Campus Center (Coop) media room from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is co-sponsored by the Office of Student Involvement, ALANA Cultural Center, Center for Women’s Studies, First@Colgate, Haven and Colgate Health and Wellness.
Next, on Feb. 15, the Student Activities Association will host a Teddies and Treats event in the Coop media room at 5 p.m. The event includes opportunities to stuff and create your own teddy bear and enjoy special bagels and treats from Flour and Salt.
Senior Maggie Manzella is one of the student organizers of the event.
“The event is one of our most popular events, and usually sells out within the first half hour,” Manzella shared. “We recommend coming a bit early if you want your first choice of stuffies.”
Senior Katie Maratea has organized the event alongside Manzella for the last four years.
“After its popularity during our freshman year, we decided to order even more bears. This year, we have an assortment of stuffed animals, from giraffes to hedgehogs and, of course, the traditional bear,” Maratea said. “We are really excited and can’t wait to transform the Coop TV room into a stuffed animal factory.”
Take a moment this weekend to spend time with your friends and loved ones by attending one of these fun events on campus! There’s nothing like a bit of Valentine’s Day cheer to help warm up amidst the cold Hamilton weather.
