Valentine’s Day is next week and what better way to celebrate it than spending time with friends and decorating heart-shaped cookies?
This was the exact vibe and overall scene at Fresno State’s Off Campus Student Life’s (OCSL) “Commuter Craft Corner: Sweet Creations” event held on Thursday, Feb. 6, in the Resnick Student Union (RSU).
When brainstorming what kind of activity to host, Gizzel Velasco, neighborhood ambassador for OCSL, said the team decided cookie decorating was the perfect choice.
“People could think, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna decorate a cookie’ but it could help relieve some stress because, you know, school can be a little stressful,” Velasco said. “So this is just a time to focus and put in some creativity. And, like I said, we give out food, so it’s like you have a little incentive right?”
This was the case for Melissa Sierra, a business administration major, who came in with the vision to decorate her cookie like a cake with frosting ruffles on the edges.
Though her cookie did not turn out as she hoped, she said she enjoyed the experience. As a full-time student, Sierra tries to participate in campus events as often as possible because they serve as a fun distraction from her academics.
“They kind of help me take my mind off whatever is going on and my classes too,” Sierra said.
Similarly, Rosa Duarte, a liberal studies major, and her friends chose to attend today’s event because they like to be involved and meet new people on campus. The group’s fun and welcoming energy attracted new and familiar faces to their cookie-crafting table.
“At events, we get to know other students,” Duarte said. “I didn’t get her name (referring to another student who asked to sit with the group) but in her situation, she’s a transfer student too and she was afraid to come in here. So events like this are important so students don’t feel too lonely and get this kind of experience.”
When it came to decorating their cookies, Duarte and her friends took inspiration from the iconic Valentine’s Day Conversation Heart-shaped candies with cute phrases on them.
Evita Soares, who just took on the role of OCSL’s newest student life and innovation coordinator, said today’s turnout was way better than she expected. She specifically loved that the event brought students together.
As a former Fresno State student herself, who juggled internships, jobs and even just had friends who commuted to campus, Soares understands the importance of offering a variety of fun opportunities to build a sense of community.
“OCSL is everyone that commutes to campus and I feel like those people are kind of forgotten, like the ones that are traveling from all over the Central Valley,” Soares said. “OCSL is a culture in itself, so it’s fun to tap into that and learn about the different stories that everyone has and how they get to campus, whether it’s bus, bike or Amtrak. It’s just like that passion that people have trying to get their education, regardless of the distance of the time or obstacles.”
Alongside their usual “Good Morning” and “Good Evening Commuters” food giveaways, the organization has tons of event ideas in the works for this spring semester. Some of these include a cooking class series in collaboration with Fresno State’s Amendola Family Student Cupboard and Associated Students, Inc., a commuter appreciation week and more.
Their next Good Evening Commuters event will be held on Feb. 26, from 6-8 p.m. at the RSU South Lawn.
Finally, Soares encourages students to reach out to OCSL with any advice or suggestions.
“We never want to assume, we know what is best for the students,” Soares said.“We very much want to hear what they want, how we can improve and even what we’re doing well so we continue doing those things.”
To learn more about upcoming events or get in contact, visit the OCSL Instagram page.
