Janita Bolhuis, third-year Industrial Design student, will read the messages dressed in a heart-covered suit. Spanish student music association Tuna Ciudad de Luz will provide the appropriate music. “It’s nice if the ‘sender’ joins us, but you may also remain anonymous.”

On Valentine’s Day they will be spreading love at TU/e with a group of four, aided by some extra volunteers. ‘I Love You TU/e’ even started romantically. “My boyfriend Joris and I were talking about how TU/e always uses its name for promotional purposes. Then he said ‘I love you’ and I said ‘I love you TU/e,’ pronouncing the university’s name as ‘tuu,’” Bolhuis explains. Laenen presented the idea to the Federation of Study Associations Eindhoven who then passed it on to the TU/e communications department.

The original plan was to donate the money they raised to the Heart Foundation, “but we found out that roses are very expensive in the days before Valentine’s Day so there was hardly any money left.” If the hundred roses haven’t all been sold by February 14, students and TU/e staff can buy them at the stand at MetaForum. You can recognize the stand by the love it shall radiate, says Bolhuis.

An abundance of roses

Do you have a secret admirer? If so, you will receive a message on February the 14th telling you to come and collect your rose. The serenades will be delivered to your door between 13:00 and 16:00 hrs. They haven’t thought about rejections or other awkward reactions yet. “If people walk away in the middle of a serenade, we will ask them if they want us to stop.” With a smile: “It’s kind of funny if it makes someone feel uncomfortable.”

The initiators are not just aiming for declarations of love. Students or staff can also present a good friend, colleague or helpful teacher with a rose or a serenade. Bolhuis herself prefers to surprise her boyfriend outside campus, she says mysteriously. “I actually have no idea if he’s planning anything!”

You can order a rose or a serenade here and you will be contacted.