Debating is fun: Yes or no? 

Students recently had a mid-semester opportunity to relax, unwind and even win some prizes.  

The RAs of ResLife hosted a unique event called “Hot Takes and Hot Drinks,” which took place from 7 to 8  p.m. in the JPAC.  

Hot chocolate, coffee, apple cider and Halloween cookies were served along with other treats, as 20 different ‘hot topics’ were presented through PowerPoint.  

Students then expressed their agreement or disagreement with a particular topic by standing on one particular side of the room.  

Two people –one from each side– came forward and argued their own perspective.  

A panel of resident assistants then chose a winner of each ‘debate’. The winner received a prize. Prizes included:  wellness bags, Wilkes T-shirts and Starbucks gift cards. 

Debate topics included pineapple on pizza, the fashion status of Crocs and whether cereal is a soup. More serious questions related to campus life were also included. 

 “Does going home every weekend mean you miss out on the true college experience?” 

“When you’re out late at night, do you prefer to call Public Safety for an escort or simply walk home alone?”  

The most divisive question was whether “book smarts are more valuable than people smarts.”  

With this question, Students were split nearly 50/50 on both sides and solid arguments were put forth for both.

Senior Salma Lampack is the RA who came up with the idea for the event. 

“Social identity and values is Reslife’s theme for October,” she said.  

“In Reslife, we have fun debates as a form of community-building. We decided to do a student event based on that idea of speaking up for your values.”  The hot drinks were added to tie into the chilly fall season.  

“I would definitely want Reslife to do something like this in the future,” Salma said. “It was so much fun and such a vibe. We’re super grateful to everyone who came.”