The promise of food and free prizes from interactive booths brought excited students from all over campus to the Student Center Ballroom Friday night. Cameras flashed at the photo booth, and excited chatter dulled the country music playing in the background. Bingo cards became wrinkled as students clenched their fists in anticipation of the prizes they hoped to win by the end of the night.
Kent State Interhall Council hosts “Sextoberfest” at the end of each Sex Week. The event features interactive games, prizes and T-shirts based on sexual education.
“I think there’s so many different groups of all different areas of Kent here that are all very educated in different areas regarding sex education, so I think it’s great to be able to learn from experts while also playing games,” said Mallory Good, a junior political science major.
The event began at 7 p.m. and quickly filled as 300 students made their rounds through the booths, said Caleb Chaplik, KIC director of Business Operations. If students participated at all 15 booths, they would receive a free Sex Week T-shirt.
The Wild West theme was incorporated among students and staff in the ballroom. Carrie Underwood played in the background as students tried throwing cowboy hats on dildos and dressed up in Wild West props for the photo booth.
Each game had a message behind them that related to safe sex. Some of the games incorporated entertainment into their theme, like the “Birth Control Cornhole” booth which decorated their cornhole board and hand out smarties to educate students on birth control practices.
Other booths were strictly focused on educating, like the “Menstrual Cycle” booth that challenged students to place the stages of the menstrual cycle in order.
“The ‘Menstrual Cycle’ booth is important if you don’t use contraception and you need to know the family planning method,” said Payton Blake, a sophomore biology major and student volunteer. “It shows you the importance of contraception, or educates you about the full menstrual cycle.”
“Ring Around the Dick” took a more lighthearted approach to education, letting students play ring toss on dildos, said Isak Lum, a sophomore applied mathematics major and student volunteer. While it was a more playful take on education, the meaning behind the game was still informative.
“‘Ring Around the Dick’ is meant to promote safe sex,” said Lum. “Getting a ring around is representing using a condom.”
At “Sextoberfest” booths used condoms as decoration. Condoms were also given out as prizes, and KIC members rolled a condom cart through the lines of students, encouraging students to take them.
“I think it’s really funny and I think other people think it’s really funny that their college is handing out condoms like it’s candy.” said “Sextoberfest” guest Andy Williams.
Andrew Cupps, a freshman exploratory major had a different outlook on the promotion and education regarding contraceptives at “Sextoberfest”.
“I think it’s pretty unique that a university is positive and open about talking about sex.” Cupps said.
Jaslyn Ly, a sophomore fashion design major said it was rare to see a university promote sexual education in a way that wasn’t strictly educational.
“A lot of schools don’t even teach sex education when it’s important and they especially don’t do it like this,” Ly said. “I think this is only a Kent State thing, I haven’t really heard about it anywhere else.”
Sex Week has been promoted as a combination of education and fun, said Joshua Outman, director of KIC. It has featured events like “Green Dot” which was dedicated to teaching students how to be an active bystander when they see violence on campus. It also featured events focused on entertainment, such as the Drag Show.
Alexis Surenda, a junior nursing major, said “Sextoberfest” achieved its goal of fun education.
“‘Sextoberfest,’ is just a nice final wrap up,” Surenda said. “It gives people the chance to communicate with other people and play games and have fun while still making sure people are learning and being kept up to date on how to have safe sex and what safe sex even means.”
“Sextoberfest” is a good closing event for Sex Week because it encourages students to be more involved and share what they have learned at other events throughout the week, said Alicia Morse, National Communications Coordinator for KIC.
“‘Sextoberfest’ has more student involvement than the rest of the events,” Morse said. “I think that having that student involvement and spreading awareness through games really ties all the fun into this last event and brings Sex Week to a really positive close.”
Kaitlyn Mitchell is a reporter. You can contact her at [email protected].