On Friday Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. in the Union Lobby, dozens of students gathered to engage in a night of festivities and fun with an educational twist at Condom Casino.
The Geneseo Healthguards and Geneseo Late Knight organized and carried out the event that kept students coming back for more games and candy while teaching them about safe-sex practices and sexually transmitted infections.
At the Condom Casino, there was an array of different games including blackjack, roulette, the Condom Challenge, STI roulette and Sex Jeopardy.
Students were "put to the test" to carry out safe-sex practices and were rewarded with candy if they performed correctly. "There are model penises that you have to put a condom on correctly; there are about seven steps," said junior Healthguard Chelsea Krotje. "A lot of people have been coming over and willing to participate."
There was also a Condom Bank in which students could exchange their earnings for an array of fanciful condoms including glow-in-the-dark, "black tie," female condoms and even condom cases. "Condom Casino is better than we expected; 200 bags of candy were gone within the first hour," said senior Healthguard Katie Wood. "We also ran out of safer-sex kits within the first half hour."
The event was held to teach and encourage students to engage in safe-sex practices. According to the Healthguards, many students aren't aware of the resources available for them at the Reproductive Health Center in Lauderdale, including free condoms, birth control, the Plan B pill, dental dams and more.
It is important for students to recognize that safe sex practices are an essential aspect of a healthy lifestyle and they can receive all the support they need at the convenient location of Lauderdale Health Center. Condom Casino was meant to do just that but in a lively and approachable way. "It's really good for increasing awareness for condom needs on campus and practicing safe sex," said senior Healthguard Angela Spicciati.
The event successfully provided students with a lighthearteded way to have fun and addressed the necessity for safe sex practices on campus. For more information on the Healthguards, email hguards@geneseo.edu.