Black college students tell what love means to them

While it was agreed that AIDS is a concern among Tennessee State's students, the consensus was that most students do not take the life-threatening, sexually transmitted disease seriously enough. As one student put it: "While more people have safe sex, AIDS hasn't stopped the amount of sex."

Most of the men vehemently denied they were sexist themselves, but they acknowledged that a double standard continues. Women are expected to be faithful to one man, while it is taken for granted that male students will have a pick of female partners: girlfriends at Fisk, Vanderbilt and Austin Peay as well as at TSU. "It's like playing baseball; they've got one on all bases," said mechanical engineering major Rahssan Robinson.

Like students on other college campuses, those at TSU agreed that yes, Valentine's Day is a "big deal," even more important to coed couples than Christmas. While the women said they prefer to be "treated like a queen" every day, the men acknowledged that their girlfriends would be greatly disappointed if they didn't do something special Valentine's Day. But you don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money, said English/philosophy major Demetrius Jones, who recalled how he made a special Valentine's card and cooked a hamburger dinner for his girlfriend. Wendell Mosley said he once serenaded his lady on the steps of the dormitory. Men acknowledged that their "stock goes up" during the Christmas holidays and stays up on through Valentine's Day.