Love is in the air at Colorado State University this week as Valentine’s Day approaches. Even though the holiday isn’t until Feb. 14, the Pride Resource Center and the Survivor Advocacy and Feminist Education Center have come together alongside RamEvents to organize a week-long series of events that invites everyone on campus to celebrate both platonic and romantic love.
The series of events are part of a the organizations’ Week of Love and were announced via fliers placed around campus and an Instagram post uploaded by all three offices Feb. 6.
“Make connections, learn and get free contraceptives and make your own Valentine’s at our events the week of Valentine’s Day,” the caption of the post reads.
The series features one event for every day leading up to Valentine’s Day, each themed around a different aspect of platonic or romantic love. The events are free for everyone and do not require reservations or tickets, with the exception of the Date Night at The Lyric event.
Queer Connections
Kicking off the Week of Love programming is Monday’s Queer Connections event. The event will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, in the Lory Student Center in room 232. The event is intended to be a space for attendees to make connections and engage in discussions focused on queer experiences.
Sweet Shop
The second Week of Love event will be SAFE Center’s annual Sweet Shop event. Happening from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb.11, in the Braiden Hall lobby, the event is a sex positivity and consent-themed fair aimed at safely educating attendees about consent and contraceptives while promoting sex-positive environments.
“Sex positivity celebrates healthy sexual relationships, different identities and sexual expressions and bodily autonomy, as well as empowers individuals to define and control their own sex lives,” SAFE Center wrote in the caption of an Instagram post highlighting the event.
Aro-Ace Space
Wednesday’s Aro-Ace Space event invites those who identify as aromantic or asexual to come together to make connections and relax in a safe and inclusive space. The event will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, in LSC rooms 226 and 228 and will include complimentary food. This event will also give attendees an opportunity to learn more about both aromantic and asexual identities and experiences.
Green Flags in Queer Media
The penultimate Week of Love event will be the Green Flags in Queer Media event held from 2:30 – 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, in LSC rooms 226 and 228. Attendees will have the opportunity to make handmade valentines for a loved one in their lives while engaging in discussions about queer media, with a focus on positivity and healthy representation. Supplies and snacks will be provided at this event, according to the announcement.
Date Night at The Lyric
The final Week of Love event will be hosted by CSU’s Pride Resource Center from 6:30-9 p.m. on Valentine’s Day at The Lyric in Fort Collins. The event is described as a community night out by the PRC in an Instagram post promoting the event.
“We invite individuals, friends, couples, throuples and more as we celebrate all types of love — platonic, self, romantic and more — with dinner and a movie,” PRC’s caption reads. “Transportation is available.”
Date Night at The Lyric will feature a nacho bar dinner and a movie showing, though the movie has not yet been announced. The event is free for all but requires a reservation online prior to the event.
Week of Love programming is intended to give everyone at CSU a space to celebrate love in honor of Valentine’s Day. With five days of events to choose from, members of the community can come together and celebrate both platonic and romantic love in their own way alongside their peers.
Reach Hannah Parcells at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @hannahparcells.
