Iona, a school full of academic and athletic achievement, appears to be missing one certain aspect that all those Hollywood movies promised in bulk: romance! While there are a few relationships budding within the community, it seems as though the majority of Iona is single. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and yet only a few feel the love in the air. It’s enough to make students wonder, is romance dead at Iona? 

The general consensus: Yes! An overwhelming majority of students find that romance at Iona is simply not working out. Despite attempts to find love, many have found their experience on campus to be lack luster at best.   

Students have identified many potential killers of romance which range from athletic commitment to preferring to focus on themselves,  to a general lack of interest in properly coupling up!  

However, the prime suspect of the death of romance remains to be the recent COVID-19 outbreak and its multiple intrusions on student life. An overwhelming number of students pointed to the coronavirus pandemic as a major factor in stunting the growth of potential relationships. It separated students by not only forcing an elongated break, but it has also kept a number of students at home for the semester. Couple the newfound forced distances with the ever-present fear of the virus,  and COVID-19 has created a fairly potent anti-love potion.  

Sophomore Ryan Thomas had a harsh yet brief eulogy for love. 

“Love is dead. Reason? Corona.” Thomas said.   

Despite the misgivings that students have, the corpse of romance has yet to go cold!  COVID-19 won’t be around forever which is giving some students a beacon of hope.  

Sophomore Tara Fitzgerald has a far more positive outlook on not only romantic love but all sorts of connections that students can make at Iona.  

“While coronavirus pandemic has put a lot of things on hold, romantic, familial, and platonic love still carry on.” Fitzgerald said.  

Whether it’s friendships or a budding romance, some students find that not even a pandemic can stop them from forging new bonds and maintaining old ones.  It may not be what Hollywood promised, but in some ways it’s better.  Maybe the college experience doesn’t need to be so focused on romance.  

Sophomore Tim Bergamini definitely doesn’t see the need to rush into anything during your college years.  However, that doesn’t mean he thinks romance is dead at Iona.  

“All in all, love is not dead,” Bergamini said. “But don’t rush to find it, enjoy the college experience and if you would like to find a relationship, do it after you fully enjoy your college experience and are ready to settle down.”  

Regardless if romance ever sweeps Iona, it seems like students are still enjoying themselves despite, or perhaps in spite, of it. So, is romance dead at Iona? Sure, but it only takes a few willful hearts to resuscitate it!