Even though the World AIDS Day Blog-a-Thon is technically over, I just wanted to recap on some amazing (and somewhat surprising) World AIDS Week experiences I had...a.k.a. the testing van EXTRAVAGANZA. On December 3rd, my university administration joined forces with the LGBT resource center, our student group AIDS Coalition (for which I acted as the student liaison) and Health Education Services to facilitate a day of free, confidential and rapid HIV testing for students, staff and faculty. What started out as a student group's initiative quickly turned into a campus-wide initiative with administrative support and outreach to the student body and faculty. In an effort to reduce stigma and discrimination on campus, top administrators agreed to be tested and students like myself and others agreed to stand by the van answering questions and talking about HIV testing on campus.

The turnout was...amazing.

I still cannot believe how many people showed up. Over 70 students, faculty and staff members waited in the freezing cold to get tested. The organization that provided the van and testing kits did not anticipate such an amazing turnout - the demand was so great that we unfortunately were not able to test everyone who wanted to be tested.  While I hoped that we would have such a great turnout, I can't say I actually believed it would happen. For me, it was so refreshing to see that young people are conscious of the presence of HIV and the reality that this disease can affect ANYBODY. Often times I feel as if the students at my university believe they are invincible. I know so many people who support my efforts to fight the spread of AIDS, but don't actually feel that they are at risk for HIV in their university bubble. Having this huge amount of young people come out and take the initiative to get tested helped me to realize that the work so many of my peers and I do to raise awareness about HIV and reduce stigma and discrimination worldwide is WORKING. I can't think of a better way to culminate World AIDS Week.