Five Ithaca College Students promote safe dating on their campus during COVID-19

How can colleges address the taboo subject of dating and hookup culture during COVID-19? This student run-campaign is here to help.

ITHACA, N.Y. — Dec. 23, 2020 12 p.m. Eastern Time Zone 

“Masks are Hot” is a COVID-19 safety campaign like you have never seen before. With a goal of minimizing COVID-19 cases on their campus, this campaign made by students for students takes a unique look at the issue of hooking up and dating, specifically at Ithaca College. 

Five IC students used an assignment given to them in a public relations class to launch a student-led campaign to curb the spread of Covid-19. The students launched @masksarehotic on Instagram, a platform that provides their peers with relevant statistics and information as well as safe date ideas and even memes. Acting as a home base for the campaign, @masksarehotic is the ultimate resource for creating meaningful relationships while still staying safe during the pandemic. 

Dating and hooking up is a behavior that college students actively engage in, pandemic or not. This campaign isn’t intended to shame students for dating and hooking up. Instead, the campaign strategically frames Covid-safe behaviors as something attractive and desirable, seeking a new way to slow the spread of the virus on their college campus. Inspired by that goal, this group is taking the initiative to do something about this so IC can get back on campus and stay on campus.

This approach complements guidelines set forth by colleges by communicating these guidelines in a way that is more accessible to students. As a campaign run by college students, Masks are Hot not only has the potential to convince college students to actually follow guidelines, but can also empower students to feel like they are part of the solution.

ABOUT

The team is made up of Class of 2023 members Linnea Carchedi, Rachel Kaiser, Katie Krom, Emily Smith, and Natalie Tribiano. What began as a simple class project through their Public Relations course, Masks are Hot has grown into a recognized campaign within the IC community. Specifically, the group has been asked to partner with the IC Student Governance Council and the IC chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America in their collaborative IC Community Public Safety initiative for the Spring 2021 semester. The group has also reached out to The Ithacan and has plans to reach out to more notable organizations, such as WCVB Boston, The Ithaca Voice, and The Ithaca Journal.