I don’t get it. Who are you guys with?” We stood in the bitter February cold, icy snow crunching beneath our feet, holding our posters high and marketing our wares. “What’s the catch?” students asked us over and over again as they looked at us with a mixture of suspicion and disbelief.

The scene: just before 11 a.m., Monday morning, in front of McKeldin Library, as students scurried to class. I could tell from the winds it was the perfect setting for the beginning of a revolution.

It’s a revolution that will shatter racial, ethnic, economic, gender, cultural and religious barriers at the university. It will supersede the conflicts of our time, and it will rise above depression, misery and the smell of vomit in a fraternity bathroom.

It’s a free hug. That’s right – just a hug. It’s free, and I’m not trying to sell you anything or try to get you to support a political candidate or try to convince you of the wonders of medium-hold mousse.

What’s the point of a free hug? There’s no “point.” When I give a hug, I feel good, and when you get a hug, you feel good, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

The idea of giving out “free hugs” to strangers has swept the globe thanks in part to the YouTube video featuring Juan Mann of Australia and the soundtrack of the Sick Puppies. Juan Mann (not his real name) started out with a “Free Hugs” sign at a Sydney mall one day during a rough period in his life.

Other founders of the Free Hug movement have popped up in recent months in California and London, claiming they are the true creators of the idea of a free hug. But this movement doesn’t need founders or dogmas or mission statements. What it needs are people crazy enough to stand on street corners with signs offering to give free hugs to strangers, just because it makes everyone smile. Watch the video for yourself and get the warm fuzzy feeling in your stomach.

“It just sounds like such a ridiculous idea,” said Elizabeth Mongeon, the freshman animal and avian sciences major I coerced into giving out free hugs with me Monday morning. “But after 10 minutes, I didn’t want to leave to go to my class.”

It is a ridiculous idea. What kind of world is it when we need to get hugs from random people? Have we become so isolated in this age of text messages that we turn to strangers for love? Does standing on a street corner giving free hugs to passersby mean we are more or less connected to the people around us?

I’m just one girl with a column in a student newspaper. I’m just trying to make a few people happy by convincing you, Average Joe Diamondback reader, to get out there and start hugging. Start a revolution, draw a sign, and make people smile.

Here are some tips for the first-time Free-Hugger: You can tell who’s considering a hug because they look at you out of the corner of their eye and slow their steps or change their trajectory very slightly. If you make the first move, hold your arms out and say, “Come on, you know you want to,” a hug can usually be successfully completed.

“Free Hug” signs should be large and legible. Signs should transfer to one hand during the hug; otherwise awkward body placement will ensue.

Hugging tutorials abound on the Internet. Your hugging approach – overhand, underhand or one arm up and one arm down – speaks volumes about your personality, zodiac sign and marital status. There are also the hug follow-through and ways to avoid post-hug awkwardness. For example, tongue and ear contact should be avoided at all costs.

Yes, there is a Facebook group (Free Hugs Campaign, Maryland Network). If Facebook can help elect Barack Obama, it can help spread the free hugs revolution. Yes, we’ll do free hugs again, maybe every Monday, maybe tomorrow, maybe on Route 1, maybe in Langley Park or Washington. But you don’t need the Facebook group or a fancy poster or anything special. Go off on your own, spread the hugs, and spread the love. I promise, there’s no catch.

Melanie Lidman is a junior journalism and Spanish double major. She can be reached at mlidman@umd.edu.