Students waited anxiously outside of the ballroom for the start of the annual Condom Carnival. Once inside, students were instantly put in the Halloween spirit as the Lawrence Hall Ballroom had been transformed into a dimly lit haunted house. Shrieks and screams could be heard from inside the ballroom, which made students even more focused on making their way into the event.”Free Condoms!” was the expression heard coming from the hall outside of the Residential Dining Facility.”That’s why I’m here, free condoms and fun games,” sophomore business management Steven Veydt said as he played several games on Tuesday, Oct. 25.The Condom Carnival allowed over 400 students a chance to ask organizations, such as Planned Parenthood and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, important questions that some said had been on their minds for a while now, but did not know where to go, to get the advice they were seeking.”It really helps to ease your mind, being able to check yourself so you can know for sure, you’re doing everything correctly,” William Biggs said as he walked away from the Planned Parenthood table, with Jada Palidino freshman dance major, who agreed with Biggs.”It is just nice to know how to be prepared,” she said.This was the third year for Point Park’s Condom Carnival, which is hosted by the Residence Hall Association (RHA). The event was held in association with local health groups Planned Parenthood, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center and Pittsburgh Action Against Rape.Every student who attended last Tuesday’s haunted event was given free prizes before they even walked into the door, including glow sticks and condoms.”There’s so much going on, I don’t even know what I’ve signed up for, but it looks fun and it’s free,” sport, art and entertainment management major Laura Janosko said while she was concentrating on what became an intense game of STD Bingo with her friends.Along with receiving free condoms and prizes, students could have also enjoyed a night of games, such as Condom Pong, where students threw ping-pong balls into red cups. Condom Darts, Pin the Condom, STD Bingo and Don’t Blow the Joker were other featured games at the event related to protection, prevention and safe sexual measures. The lucky game winners received candy, condoms, gift cards, candy, T-shirts and other theme appropriate novelties. But no one who attended walked away empty handed. RHA also enticed students’ taste buds with treats from Pittsburgh Pop Corn, caramel apples, and fall favorite apple cider.Sandahl Blythe, a representative from the Gay and Lesbian Community Center at the carnival, was thrilled about the amount of attention the Condom Carnival had received.”This is my first year attending an event like this,” Blythe said. “This is such an awesome event for students, giving them access to free advice, where there’s no budget or expenses to worry about and everyone’s talking safe sex … This should be done in more colleges.”Blythe did not realize how well received the Condom Carnival is each year. Laughing, she said, “I wish I brought more condoms. Next year I’ll bring them by the trash bag-full.”A representative from Planned Parenthood was also present last Tuesday to offer advice by playing a game with students by first asking them what the first thing you do with a condom is. She instructed students to check the expiration date, and then continue to open and place the condom on an object shaped like a penis.  Once placed properly, students were then advised on how to properly remove the condom in order to prevent unplanned pregnancy or any other mishaps that could possibly go wrong in the act of having safe, protected sex.”Students are having sex and need to protect themselves,” the representative said.RHA President Matthew Hofbauer said he was proud of the outcome of this year’s carnival, especially with all the help from all organizations that participated this year, including Point Park’s Rugby Team.”I am so amazed that Point Park students took the liberty to come to our annual Condom Carnival for the third year in a row,” Hofbauer said. “I am so surprised we had the outcome we did. I have never seen the Ballroom so packed with students ever before!”Even with the large participation, Hofbauer keeps a goal in mind for the event.”As an important presence on campus, we want to empower students by taking their safety into their own hands and educating themselves about their own sexual health and well being,” Hofbauer said.