Wallet rings took on the form of Olympic rings Tuesday in the Student Union, as a group of about 15 students competed in a variety of condom-themed challenges.
The Condom Olympics, hosted by the Black Student Movement, Student Global AIDS Campaign and UNC Campus Health Services, provided students with an exercise combining competition with sexual education.
“We want to break down the barriers and get students talking about the importance of condoms while getting rid of stigmas associated with them,” said Jessica Feingold, a Carolina Health Education Counselor for Sexuality, who hosted the event.
Upon arriving, the participants broke into teams and chose a nation to represent. The team representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo took gold. Among the events, which included a lube taste test, contestants participated in some of the following activities.
The Marble Challenge
In order to prove the durability of condoms, participants estimated how many marbles could fit into a standard condom without it breaking. They then proceeded to give up hope as they watched 270 marbles squeeze into the condoms.
The Condom Blow Up Challenge
Contestants also attempted to test condoms’ durability by attempting to blow up condoms as large as possible. The teams received bonus points for fitting the condoms over a teammate’s head.
Under the Bed Challenge
Blindfolded students dug through boxes of household items to simulate finding a condom in the dark. But that wasn’t the only obstacle, as students had to decipher which condoms were expired or too damaged to use.
Condom Trivia
A representative from Campus Wellness asked six challenging questions about condom knowledge and received only a few correct responses. Students learned through the questioning that sheepskin condoms do not provide protection from HIV/AIDS.
They were also quizzed on their knowledge of lubes and learned that condoms break due to friction.
Sita Engelhart, a junior on team Mozambique, said she attended the event because it provided a comfortable setting.
“It’s cool to see after coming from a conservative family,” she said.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
‘Condom Olympics’ help teach sexual health
Shirley Lui, Brittany Miller and Rachel Quinto compete to blow up the largest condom balloon. DTH/Margaret Cheatham Williams
