Students of CWU played games, ate brownies and got to know each other at the Valentine’s Day Soireé in the SURC Ballroom on Feb. 14.

Freshman graphic design major Zoë Armstrong was playing a cup-pong game when she said that her ideal Valentine’s Day would be spent just hanging out with her friends.

According to Armstrong, Valentine’s Day is about “showing your love and appreciation for each other. Whether that be your significant other, your friend, your family member, it doesn’t matter.”

Freshman psychology major Jadon Lawrence-Olsen was sitting at the “Not-So Newlywed Game” table when she shared the story of her favorite Valentine’s memory, despite not being a fan of the holiday in general.

“I used to work for a floral department, and during Valentine’s Day, it was very busy,” Lawrence-Olson said. “I was walking back and forth with flowers and there was this one kid where the mother had bought her a rose and I had to give it to her and her face lit up.”

According to Lawrence-Olsen, Valentine’s Day should be less commercial and more about just hanging out with that person who’s really important to you.

Sitting across from Lawrence-Olsen was Jess Olsen, who also feels that Valentine’s Day is too commercialized.

“[Valentine’s Day is] people selling chocolate to make a lot of money off of people wanting to be with each other,” Olsen said.

He said his ideal Valentine’s Day would look different than how it has been traditionally celebrated.

 “Having these romantic connotations and stigma should be kind of taken out of it,” Olsen said. “There can still be some but I think it should more represent just loving your friends.” 

Kimberly Lariviere, a junior communications major, was sitting with friends and meeting new people at the “Speed-Friending” table. In Lariviere’s opinion, love means to accept someone as they are and to adapt to their changing situations and needs.

Cullen Pratt, a junior risk insurance and safety major, said that he really enjoyed speed-friending and that his Valentine’s Day tradition is to buy spicy candy hearts.

The Valentine’s Day Soireé was planned and organized by Maddy Whiting, a junior hospitality tourism and event management major, and Michelle Carrillo, a sophomore law and justice major and sociology minor.

“I think Valentine’s Day is really fun, Whiting said. “I know some people are like, ‘it’s just a greeting card holiday,’ but I always have fun with it. I know it’s fun for other people too.” Whiting said.

She said her hope for the event was that attendees would have fun and make a friend. She said she was particularly excited about the speed-friending event.

 “I like decorating for my major, Whiting said. “It’s important for me to take the lead in planning more events. I thought this would be a good opportunity to do that as well.”

Carrillo said her freshman year felt lonely until she went out to meet people, and that this soireé, to her, was one of those places people could come out of their shell.

 “College is not that bad after you find your group, and the only way you’re going to find your group is by going out,” Carrillo said. 

She said she hopes that the take away for attendees will be that they should attend as many events as possible so they can find their people.

Her favorite part of the night was witnessing friends being made.

“Seeing how everyone was actually interacting, I really liked that, Carillo said. “Everyone was telling me that they were having a good time, and that made me feel good.”