Sakurako A. Sasazawa

The Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite International School celebrated this year’s Valentine’s Day with students jumping down the rabbit hole and experiencing an Alice-in-Wonderland’-themed event called “Heartfest 2023: Pirates Loverland”. The Junior and Senior High School Student Governments organized this event, in collaboration with the student organizations of the International School. IS student organizations built their own interactive and creative booths, making students feel that they have already entered Wonderland. Students, wearing their status shirts following the color scheme proposed by the student governments, visited the booths and participated in the various activities.

In the Mahogany Hall, Liceo Linguistico rode their royal carriages and delivered their love letters and special gifts as love found its way to someone with the White Queen’s help. The Alice Lair was the place where students relaxed and savored the Valentine’s Day air with art and the loveliest of music, whether for someone or for themselves, as students enjoyed their Harana from our the International School Arts Circle (ISAC) students. The Science and Math Enthusiasts Society (SMES) hosted a classic circus game, the balloon dart games in their Cupid Acute-racy involving solving Math and Science problems.

JHS SG’s The Ace Love Express offered speed dating experience with a cupid to matching blindfolded students with one another for fun’s sake. Alice in Sweetland was ABM Society’s treat for Lyceans that saved them from loneliness, as they offered the sweetest treats, delectable pastries, and fine jewelries. Students were also able to enjoy their photobooth.

The unsaid words were communicated by the White Rabbit and Alice through the Language League’s Letter Writing Service. The Hospitality, Tourism, and Culinary Commission (HTCC) booth had a freedom wall that was filled with different colorful messages from students who made their personalized stickers at its Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Even one of the students had a little help from HTCC to deliver one of the stickers anonymously to the person he admired. 

Who can forget the SHS SG’s Monarchy of Hearts where the student’s dream came to life as they simulated a romantic ceremony? The Looking Glass was also a great way for the students to enjoy watching some great films. The E-Piratas captured some fellow students and placed them in the Red Queen’s Dungeon, where instead of being punished by the Red Queen, they had a fun time playing scribble.io with the chance of winning some exclusive prices.

The street sign to SHL Building will lead the traveler to the STEM Society’s a-maze-ing andphenomenalbooth, Alice Loverinth. Students relished the challenges they had faced during the game in the dark, receiving a special treat with their significant other at the end of the maze. In the university auditorium, it was Way Too Wonderland in The Young Leaf’s booth. They had their Queen of Heart’s Birthday Extravaganza with Lyceans offering the perfect gift for the Queen, and the purr-fect Cheshire Whisper Game with students shouting and guessing their way to victory. 

For the single-but-ready-to-mingle, Sining Laurel’s (Silau) Heart of Glass takes a shot of cupid’s arrow by letting students have their paint-nic to test their skills at making an artwork and took some mighty fine pictures at their Love me, Love me not. And lastly, to seal the Wonderous Adventure, Social Science Circle’s (SSC) Hatter’s Keep let students express their feelings and inner self in their freedom wall, which had their colorful wall be filled with different representations of emotions.  After celebrating two Valentine’s Day under community quarantine, student leaders of LPU Cavite IS bounced back with a successful Heartsfest 2023: Pirates Loverland. The event not only cheered up the campus but, more importantly, turned the spotlight to the dynamic student organizations. In that occasion, one does not need to worry about finding a knight in shining armor, because the creativity of our fellow Lyceans made us experience our own LPU Wonderland.