Jameson Filston, Campus Carrier Arts & Living Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSICA HAYHURST

Junior Caroline Russell (left), Senior Portia Delano, and Senior Madelin Ryan pose in front of breakfast food provided for Delight’s Galentine’s Day. Several organizations and individuals at Berry hosted their own parties.

This past Saturday, I got the opportunity to experience something not many guys get a chance to experience. I was visiting my sister at Furman University when her friends were having a Galentine’s Day celebration, and they invited me.

Galentine’s Day parties are usually all-girl events where girls can get together and bond without the pressure of guys. It is commonly attributed to the show “Parks and Recreation” and takes place on Feb. 13, the day before Valentine’s day. The party I attended was hosted by Furman’s branch of Delight, a college women’s ministry.

When I visited the Galentine’s Day party, girls were sitting around a dorm room, catching up on each other’s lives. Pancakes and fruit were provided, and everyone was eating and talking. The atmosphere was very chill and relaxed. Despite being the odd man out, I felt welcomed and accepted into the conversation.

Several Galentine’s Day parties have taken place on Berry’s campus in this season of love. They are hosted by friends and organizations alike. Many parties say they offer an opportunity to build community with other females.

Junior Jenn Breast has been participating in Galentine’s Day with friends since her freshman year, and hosted their third annual party this year in Elmwood Cottage.

Breast said that the party was borne of the emotional turmoil that many of her friends experienced as Valentine’s Day approached, but it has since become a way to support each other. The group has Little Debbie snacks and tea to facilitate a time for talking about what is going on in each other’s lives. 

“It’s a time for us to love one another,” Breast said. “Having strong relationships with your gal pals is important.”

The party was open to both residents of Elmwood Cottage and their female friends.

Another Galentine’s Day event that was held on campus was hosted by Berry’s branch of Delight. Junior Jessica Hayhurst worked with Senior Ansley Shelton to organize the event.

Hayhust said that the women’s ministry does community events to reach other girls across campus, and Galentines Day was a good way to do that. The event was hosted on Feb. 9, earlier than the normal Galentine’s Date, but was attended by about 40 female students from Berry. 

The event featured pancakes, “speed dating,” face mask and nail painting. The girls also watched “She’s the Man,” which was voted for in advance on Instagram. 

The goal of the event was to get more girls involved in Delight as well as to build friendships and relationships.

“Delight’s goal is to have a women’s community that is based on vulnerability and giving women on campus a place where they can open up and find people that will walk through hard things with them Hayhurst said. “Hopefully this will be a starting point.”

Hayhurst’s favorite part was the face masks.

“We had a stress relief one because it was a stressful semester,” Hahurst said.