With the smell of snow in the air and the sound of salt crunching under each step, Elizabethtown College students braved the brisk February weather to celebrate Valentine’s Day together. On Friday, Feb. 14the Office of Student Activities (OSA) hosted a festive Valentine’s themed movie night at the Gibble Auditorium. Etown students were invited to come and watch the 1999 romantic comedy movie, “10 Things I Hate About You,” starring Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Weeks prior to the event, students could find a banner advertising the event hanging from the balcony inside the Baugher Student Center. Also, the TV by the mailroom had a slide advertising the event. Students had the opportunity to vote for the movie to be showcased by participation in an Instagram poll with the other movie choices, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson or “The Princess Diaries,” starring Anne Hatheway and Julie Andrews.
The movie began at 8 p.m., but prior to that time, OSA provided a variety of fun snacks such as pretzels, goldfish, marshmallows, teddy grahams and two different kinds of M&Ms, peanut butter and the original. Students could make a trail mix by mixing all the ingredients or just filling their cups with their favorite treats. OSA members kindly greeted and welcomed Etown students to the event and when the movie ended, they also wished everyone a good night and thanked them for coming. Students were able to refill their snack cups on their way out of the movie.
The event was planned by two OSA members, Avery Burke, a junior double major in political science and public relations, and Kyler Henne, a sophomore criminal justice major. Both expressed enthusiasm and kindness when asked about their favorite part of hosting the event. Burke expressed a love for party planning.
“Overall, the planning, like picking the snacks and movies that people will like is fun,” Burke said. “Figuring out what people might want to do on a Friday is all part of the fun in planning too”
Henne expressed loving to see the “interaction” that these events bring, such as, “seeing people smile or react to the movie and being able to hang out with their friends.”
Another OSA member present at the event, Kate Hart, a senior international business major, said she loved hearing feedback from students and that feedback helps OSA make the next events more special.
Throughout the duration of the film, students enjoyed snacks, hanging out with friends, the moving yet funny dialogue and plot of the film and the catchy tunes featured throughout the movie.
A member of the audience experienced watching the film for the first time at the event. Sophomore music major Lila Hughes said she had never seen the film before. ,
“I was looking forward to not having to think, and just enjoy the film,” Hughes said.
The atmosphere of the event allowed just that. Etown students gathered and relaxed while watching the nostalgic, and for others new, film. They walked out of the cold and entered the warm and cozy auditorium, ate snacks and had the opportunity to socialize at a festive event, and gave everyone present the opportunity to do something fun on Valentine’s Day.
Overall, the event brought students together from all grades and majors and it was a great way to end a busy school week and celebrate Valentine’s Day with others in the Etown College community!
