Are you in a healthy relationship? Does your partner give you what you need to be happy and do you know what they want as well? Do you have a positive stream of communication or is it a lot of texting and screaming? It may be the week of sweet Valentines, but chances are a lot of college students are still trying to find that special someone.

Castleton offers many services to its students, and is about to add one more: Match Making.

On March 1 at 7:30p.m. the Wellness Center will be hosting a Mixer in the Campus Center 1787 Room. The idea for this mixer started with a different project, but through the desires of Castleton students, morphed into something more like speed dating.

 On Jan 24 all Castleton students were sent a short and simple email from the Wellness Center that read, “Would you like to find the relationship you deserve? A new group is being formed to meet regularly.” The reaction from the Castleton students was somewhat confused. “Are they trying to start a dating group?” said a Castleton student who read the e-mail. Many people read it as a notice for some dating service, and instead of finding it crazy, many students’ reactions were excited.

Wellness Center Director Martha Coulter explained the original intention of this e-mail.

“Amy and I and our intern Andrea have really been interested in starting a group that would include people coming to talk about relationships.  What they’d like to find in relationships, maybe what they haven’t been able to find, and to learn how to go about building a great relationship,” Coulter said.

“Many people don’t have a lot of good role models to show them or who have been in their lives that are in healthy relationships,” Amy Bremel added. Coulter and Bremel explained that they wanted to advertise the group in a positive way, not like a support group, and so they named it Happy Hearts.

They were not expecting the misinterpretation from the Castleton students. The Wellness Centers Administrative Assistant Kate Spaulding started getting a lot of feedback.

“Kate comes to us and says ‘Everybody’s calling me and saying ‘Hey, sign me up for the mixer!”” said Coulter.

With the reaction from students, the Wellness Center staff decided to create two separate projects.

“The fun part is that we decided well we still want to do the group, so we’re going to do that…five steps to a great relationship, and have five meetings about different components of relationships. But we’re also planning a mixer because we thought what the heck, people must want one!” Coulter said. “It just occurred to us that maybe people are looking for new ways to meet people.”

“And it would be in a healthy, safe environment too, versus a bar where you don’t necessarily know who you’re meeting,” said Bremel.

There will be refreshments, music, and a relaxed environment to meet new people and have some fun on a Thursday night.

To sign up for the mixer on Mar. 1 stop in to the Wellness Center on the top floor of the Campus Center or give them a call at 468-1346. Also, keep an eye out for the posters that will give the dates for the five steps to a healthy relationship group.