Feb. 12, in the BSC, the Student Wellness Advocacy Group (SWAG) and It’s on Us club representative members hosted informational and interactive displays. Both clubs provided multiple brochures, papers and informational packets to students.

SWAG’s table invited students to participate by having a hands-on board where students could write. If they wanted, students could get candy Lifesavers or gummy sharks as a prize.

These tokens correlated with the overall theme of the display: characteristics makes your relationship stay afloat, or sink?

Sophomore Nia Vick, member of SWAG, was excited that their display contained an interactive portion.

“It is important to have resources not just about dating violence, or sexual assault, but also what YOU personally think about what is or is not okay in a relationship,” Vick said.

She noticed that there were more notes on what makes people’s relationships sink.

“Our booth allows YOU to verbalize and write down your thoughts,” Vick stated.

Junior Rehena Persaud is a member of the SWAG club. The idea for the event was generated through brainstorming and it came up quickly. Healthy relationships are important to students on campus.

“A vital aspect about healthy relationships is that it does not just include intimate ones but also friendships, family and professional partnerships,” Persuad explained. “A really important relationship is healthy friendships.”

Different relationships involve various expectations and give and take factors.

“Acknowledge that in your varying relationships you can either work to fix it, or you can build upon on the foundation you already have,” Persuad stated.

Vick deems that the most important part of a relationship is having good communication skills.

“It is okay to have differing opinions, you just need to be comfortable expressing how you feel,” Vick said.

Persaud agreed that communication is key to any successful relationship.

“Regardless of how different you are, if you have good communication skills you can make it work,” Persaud said.

The It’s on Us table had multiple handouts about sexual assault awareness and what one can do to help themselves if they are in a sexually abusive relationship.

The club wants to end sexual assault. The It’s on Us Club began in 2014 as a national organization by the Obama administration, but it just came to Elizabethtown College last year. Vice president and sophomore Darby Keller has multiple roles and expectations as an officer.

“I’m basically all over the place,” Keller laughed.

As vice president of the club, Keller attends to the needs of the president, junior Hannah Burleigh, and assists with running meetings and events. She is also the digital organizational captain. Keller is responsible for media posts on their ample social media accounts, in charge of emails and keeping everything updated. She also works with students to help answer any questions that they might have.

“We, the It’s on Us club, is here for students. People are encouraged to come and talk to us about things that they want to change on campus,” Keller explained. “When students first arrive to campus, there are things that they do not know what to expect and we want to be able to provide those resources that help and educate them.”

First-year Jennifer Davenport, a member of the club, firmly believes in what the club stands for.

“No matter what gender, size, big or small, you matter,” Davenport stated.

She deems that the It’s on Us club is important and that it was something she wanted to be involved in.

“As a first-year, I want to be somewhere safe,” Davenport said.

The It’s on Us club provided a drawing for students; they could win a free club t-shirt for correctly answering a sexual violence question. If they did, then their name was placed in a drawing to win the t-shirt.

Some “red flags” in a relationship include emotional, physical, sexual or verbal abuse, threats, violent acts and isolating or controlling behavior. If one or more of these things is happening, a student should contact a trusted friend, adult or a domestic violence association.\

If you are in an unhealthy relationship, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.