The speech fundamentals class directed by professor Ingram Land-Deans presented its ninth annual relationship forum titled “Before I Say Yes.” 

The General Classroom Building was packed with students on Nov. 18 ready to discuss a pool of issues related to relationships. The title as

told by Raheem Shabazz, freshman journalism and mass communications major, signifies the openness of discussion, before I say yes to friendship, to commitment, to a baby, to anything that comes to mind.

 “The purpose is to first and foremost help students to approach relationships in a healthier manner using something that is naturally given, communication,” said Land-Deans. 

Each question presented to the audience came within either a role playing scenario or a video recording. The scenarios dealt with subjects such as devious persons in a relationship, should you get into a relationship in college, sex before marriage, prenuptial agreements, and compromising sexual morals for your mate, just to name a few. 

Along with the discourse from the audience there was also a panel of students who spoke on issues in which they could relate.  

These topics seemingly stirred massive discussions and sometimes arguments amongst the audience.  Land-Deans and Latherio Boyd, author and writer would interject if discussions got too out of control to bring balance and understanding and give extra knowledge to the situation. 

“The relationship forum is to help the participants to help the audience use communication in the right way in relationships so they can work toward healthy relationships and also use it whenever there is a conflict or problem solving” said Land-Deans.  

“Boyd was real insightful, the student body was real active, but nobody was really speaking from real life experiences; really being real about the topics and issues at hand,” said Carlyle Phillips a senior engineering major. 

Shabazz who was one of the student coordinators for the event said; ” I Hope students left with a different aspect of how to handle a relationship before they get into it, every decision is a life changing decision, hope they’re not just doing things and taking people emotions for granted.” 

This event is held each year improving on numbers of participation with hopes of seeing another forum. 

• Gian Spells