DeKALB – On Monday, NIU students attended Stevochella, a Valentine’s Day carnival at Stevenson Towers, held to encourage community and bring students together.
The event featured numerous Valentine’s Day-themed decorations and a multitude of crafting tables. The plethora of activities ranged from DIY heating socks and bracelet making to therapy dogs and self-care trivia.
Stevochella is planned by the CA’s in Stevenson towers and Housing and Residential Services.
Stevenson also opened up a part of the dining hall that is usually closed off to offer students unique menu items such as cotton candy and cheesecake.
Tolu Abisuga, a junior music major and CA at Stevenson, spoke a bit about the process of setting up Stevochella.
“We had a meeting about this two weeks ago. They said that we were all going to be broken up into certain groups,” Abisugan said. “Then with your groups, you’re going to be in a certain area. You’re going to make the poster and bring all the materials and just get everything ready for everyone else.”
Attendees flowed in and out of Stevenson dining and Stevenson’s common area to experience all of Stevochella. Students had different opportunities offered to them by those working the event, allowing for a fun time with high energy.
One attendee, Esmeralda Guzman, a sophomore elementary education major, spoke about her first impressions walking into the event.
“Very cutesy,” Guzman said. “I like how it was decorated for Valentine’s Day. I like how there are tables, everyone’s mingling around and exploring all the different tables.”
The tables were set up with the aforementioned activities as well as wooden heart crafts, raffles, valentines and smash tiles, a unique activity where students could write down their feelings on a tile and then break it against the table.
Another attendee, DonTavia McChristian, a first-year finance major, shared how she believes Stevochella helps students during harsh times.
“Especially during these cold times, everybody’s just in their room and probably just stressing out about quizzes, exams or anything,” McChristian said. “During these times, events like this allow for people to de-stress.”
