Q: Is it true that lovers who kiss beneath the Eternal Flame on the Quad will be together forever? The hopeless romantic in me hopes so! (Roberta Jorge, ’10 LAS, MBA ’20)⁣ ⁣ A: Of course it’s true (says a fellow hopeless romantic)! Now, if I were a cynical man, I would say that the Eternal Flame is neither eternal nor a flame—that it’s a light post that the University operates on a timer, and that its bench is uncomfortable and often covered in gum and graffiti. But I’m not a cynical man. I think the Eternal Flame, which was a gift from the Class of 1912, is a beautiful monument to romance, and that its legend is absolutely true. Keep kissing, lovers!⁣ ⁣ Happy #ValentinesDay! 🧡💙⁣ ⁣ Have questions about U of I history, traditions, and legends? Write to Illini 411 at rross2@uillinois.edu⁣ ⁣ #Illini411 | #ForeverIllini