SA Previews: Christmas in Lights

October 30, 2020

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas as campus starts to go through its normal seasonal change from fall to winter. The weather is getting colder, leaves are falling off the trees, and students are breaking out the hot chocolate. Everyone is dreaming about sitting around a warm fireplace wrapped up in a blanket. But before we completely deck the halls, one thing must happen here at Liberty to welcome in the new season. Of course I am talking about Student Activities’ annual Christmas in Lights on the Academic Lawn!

Every year, we look forward to gathering on the lawn all bundled up for the lighting of the 50-foot Christmas tree as well as all of the lights that line University Blvd. This year, due to current regulations, we will be livestreaming the event for each of you to watch along in your dorms or off-campus houses. It will truly be a memorable night as we’re able to all come together to bring in the Christmas season together.

Christmas in Lights will be taking place on Wednesday, November 18 at 10:30 p.m., just after curfew, so that students are able to gather with their roommates or community groups to celebrate together! We’ll be livestreaming this event on Facebook and other online sources, so head over to our social media platforms the night of the event, where we’ll provide a link to watch the lighting from all over the world. What’s the best way to watch? We suggest streaming on a laptop or mirroring your devices to a TV to get the best viewing experience.

Additionally, students will get to hear a message from President Jerry Prevo, and the School of Music will provide more than 250 choir members who will surround the tree to sing Christmas classics like Rudolph, Joy To The World, and We Wish You A Merry Christmas! We are so happy we get to be with all of you virtually as we celebrate the beginning of the season of Christmas together. We hope to see you all tuning into the lighting of the tree ceremony as our campus transforms into a winter wonderland.

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SA Previews: Just Mercy

October 23, 2020

1526 people have been executed in the U.S. since 1973 and 171 of those people have been exonerated (EJI). According to the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), founded by Bryan Stevenson, “At least 170 Alabama death sentences have been reversed by state or federal courts and resulted in an exoneration, lesser conviction, or reduced sentence”. Stevenson is fighting to add more numbers to the exonerated statistic.

Just Mercy is a deeply-moving, thought-provoking film about Bryan Stevenson’s fight for justice and redemption in the criminal justice system. Stevenson had a passion for using his Harvard Law degree to help men and women in Birmingham, Alabama who were wrongly convicted and put on death row. His first client was Walter McMillian who was put on death row for the murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite his proven innocence. This film goes through Stevenson and McMillian’s emotional journey of fighting for freedom and justice despite the racial tension.

This movie is helping fuel the conversation around capital punishment in America and raise an eyebrow to the flaws in our criminal justice system. You can watch this film with us in the LaHaye Event Space on November 6. There will be two showings, one at 8 p.m. and the other at 10:45 p.m. I can guarantee you will leave feeling inspired and ready to change the world!

Sources:

https://eji.org/issues/alabama-death-penalty/

https://eji.org/issues/death-penalty/

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SA Previews: Binge and Banter – Avatar: The Last Airbender

October 2, 2020

It’s that time again everybody – Student Activities presents Binge & Banter: Avatar the Last Airbender. Following in the footsteps of our last successful Binge & Banter, the Mandalorian, we will be breaking down the newly re-famed Netflix show, following our favorite Airbender and his friends. No matter if you are from the Fire Nation, one of the Water Tribes, or anywhere in between, mark your calendar for October 20 when we will be discussing your favorite character arcs, episodes, and even some fan theories.

For those of you who haven’t seen the show, Avatar is centered around Aang, the last Air Nomad left on the planet, and his journey of navigating life in a new world around him. Aang, although 12 years old biologically, is technically 112 years old after spending 100 years frozen in ice. He gets frozen during the end of a time of peace, and thaws out to a world of chaos and turmoil as the Fire Nation has changed the world as he knew it.

Aang’s people, the Air Nomad’s, were wiped out by the Fire Nation on their conquest to global domination. As the Avatar, Aang is set on the course to fulfill his destiny of mastering all four elements (water, earth, fire, and air) and bringing balance back to the world. Through this journey, there are so many twists and turns as each character grows and develops into different versions of themselves.

Come with your thoughts and join in on the discussion! There will be fun stickers and snacks as we enjoy discussing one of our favorite shows. We hope to see you there on October 20.

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417299/trivia

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SA Previews: Fall Fest

September 25, 2020

Break out your flannels, pumpkin spice lattes, and allergy medication, because fall is finally here. It seems like summer has lasted for an entire year, thanks to the early start to summer break we received in March, but now is the time to celebrate the temperature dropping, the leaves changing colors, the air getting crisper, and the comfort foods we have all been craving.

Student Activities is the “host with the most” when it comes to getting into the spirit of autumn, as we have been bringing Liberty students Fall Fest at Hydaway for many years. This year’s Fall Fest will be held October 2^nd. Decked out with autumnal decorating necessities, the Hydaway Outdoor Center will be transformed from its usual oasis for enjoying the outdoors to being a hub for pumpkin painting, pie eating, and apple-centered attractions like candy apples and apple cider. There will be no better place to unwind and welcome in the new season than at Fall Fest.

If pie or cider is not your thing, then perhaps you would enjoy a live music set by Dylan Rolfsen, who released a new album at the end of April. Or maybe you’re not one for live music, fall festivities, or an apple pie, but would love to feel the autumn wind through your hair. Well our good friends at YES (Your Event Source) are going to be present at Fall Fest with a mechanical bull and a virtual reality coaster, with a host of other attractions as well. There truly is something for everyone at Fall Fest.

This is a free event for Liberty students with no pre-registration required. Festivities will begin around 3 PM and end at 7 PM. A bus will be running from the Green Hall bus loop to accommodate students, as parking is limited at the event. Social distancing will be enforced, but thankfully the space up at Hydaway is expansive which makes abiding by COVID-19 guidelines that much easier. Come with an appetite and an autumn attitude, but Ugg boots are definitely optional (if not discouraged because this isn’t 2016).

We can’t wait to see you at Hydaway October 2^nd for Fall Fest!

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SA Previews: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

September 11, 2020

When most of you hear the name Mr. Rogers, you are brought back to a time in your childhood when a sweet man in a red sweater is giving you life lessons. You may also remember sitting in front of a chunky TV screen and singing along with “Won’t You Be My Neighbor”. These are two memories that fed into the creation of the 2019 movie “A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood”.

This movie is all about the life of Mr. Rogers and who he really is behind the television screen. Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is an investigative journalist who is told to profile Mr. Rogers (Tom Hanks), even though he is a skeptic of his genuine kindness off the screen. The movie reveals the relationship between these two opposite individuals and how they impact each other’s lives despite the significant difference in lifestyles.

Tom Hanks is already significant in our childhood with his role in Toy Story, Polar Express, and Cars. When you watch this emotional and inspirational movie, you will feel like you are a kid again! This heartwarming movie will be playing at 8:30 PM on Friday, September 18th on the Commons Lawn. We will be providing popcorn and nostalgia at no cost! We can’t wait to see you all there!

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Important Homecoming Update

September 9, 2020

Each year, Liberty University’s Homecoming brings our Liberty family together for a weekend of celebration and fun on Liberty Mountain. From carnivals and concerts to athletics and tailgates, we always have a great time reminiscing and creating new memories.

While that spirit of celebration remains, the COVID-19 pandemic makes it necessary to cancel our 2020 Homecoming festivities.

The health, well-being, and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and campus guests are our utmost priority during this unprecedented time. For this reason, we feel that the COVID-19 situation has not changed enough for us to host a large number of people on our campus.

While we are disappointed that we cannot gather together this year, we will be offering suggestions on ways you can “celebrate from home” on our social media pages, so be sure to follow Student Activities!

In the meantime, if you have questions, please visit our Homecoming webpage or reach out to Homecoming@liberty.edu.

We hope to see you and your family on campus for our 50th Anniversary Homecoming in 2021!

Event Preview: SA Workshops Series

September 4, 2020

Here at Student Activities, we not only want to provide you with fun events where you get to hang out with your friends, but we also want to provide you with events where you get to learn new skills that will help you develop in knowledge and creativity. This fall, we are introducing a new workshop series focusing on just that. Each workshop is being held in the LaHaye Event Space with a 25-person limit (with the exception of coffee brewing), and all of them will start at 6 PM.

           

We are kicking off this series with our planting workshop on September 17^th! For a small fee of $5, you will learn the basics of indoor plant care. Registration is already open for the event, so be sure to quickly register online to secure your spot. Irvington Spring Farms will lead the workshop through different plant care topics; such as, different types of soil, how to properly care for your plant, how to re-pot, and tips for your first year of care. At the end of the workshop, you will have the opportunity to take home your very own indoor plant. After the workshop, we hope you feel confident and capable when taking care of indoor plants.

           

Our second workshop is a virtual coffee brewing lesson led by Third Wave Coffee shop, a local Lynchburg favorite! The session will be held online at 6 PM on October 1^st. You’ll have to tune into IGTV to watch, so if you aren’t following us on Instagram yet, our handle is @LibertySA. Austin from Third Wave will be leading you through various coffee brewing techniques; such as, French Press, V60, and Aeropress. This workshop is perfect if you’re like me and don’t have much experiencing making coffee outside of popping a K-cup in the Keurig and calling it a day. After attending this virtual session, we hope you feel ready to be experimental and innovative when making your daily cup of coffee.

           

The third workshop is a Cake Decorating session on October 22^nd. There is a 25-person limit at this workshop, and registration will open on our website on October 2^nd. At this workshop, Autumn, from Autumn’s Cake Creations, will lead you through cake decorating techniques; such as, leveling, filling, piping borders, and decorating tips. You will be able to try each of these techniques on your very own stacked cake, and at the end of the night you will take your cake home. We hope this workshop gives you the assurance you need to confidently decorate a cake for your friends and family to enjoy.

           

Last but not least are the pottery workshops on November 5^th and 12^th. Registration for this workshop will open on October 16^th. During the first session, an instructor will lead you through hand building techniques on how to make pinching pots, coiled pots, and slab pots. After the first session, your piece will be fired in a kiln, and ready to be glazed at the next session. On November 12^th, you will be able to glaze your piece, which will be fired a second time and ready for pickup. At the end of the pottery session, you will go home with your one-of-a-kind, hand built piece to put on display in your home.

           

Our workshops’ primary purpose is to help you expand and grow in knowledge and creativity…but to also have fun! Covid-19 has brought on a lot of unexpected life events that can often make you feel anxious and overwhelmed. Maybe a planting, cake decorating, coffee brewing, or pottery workshop is just the thing you need to take yourself away from the stress of everything for a couple of hours. We are so excited for you to join us for this series!     

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Concert Preview: Skillet

August 31, 2020

Mark your calendars for September 25 and release your inner teen angst with our first concert in the newly renovated Vines Center, Skillet feat. Ledger! Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Skillet is not only one of the biggest Christian rock bands, but also one of the most widely known rock bands across the whole genre. The general audience who may not enjoy Christian music is gifted the opportunity to listen to music about the Creator without the common singer-songwriter vibe. The band found its origins with its two original members, John Cooper and Ken Steorts. John has stayed true to the group since the beginning, being the only original member to still be in the band. Skillet has continuously been nominated for various awards including wins for five GMA Dove Awards and one Billboard Music Award. 

Opening for Skillet is the pop rock band Ledger, created and led by Skillet drummer Jennifer Carole Ledger. After drumming and singing backup vocals with Skillet for a decade, Ledger released her first solo project LEDGER EP in 2018. The band has been on the road ever since, opening for Skillet on multiple tours. Ledger’s music is clearly influenced by her roots with Skillet, continuing in the pop rock genre while utilizing her exciting vocal talent. As the band together continues to work hard and produce new music, I hope to see them continue to grow their audience. The more the band reaches, the more listeners are able to hear the good news of Jesus in a unique way. We are so excited to see you next month as we all get to enjoy some solid music and rock out together!

 

https://skillet.fandom.com/wiki/Skillet_(Band)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jen_Ledger

 

https://www.skillet.com/blog/christian-rock-band-skillet-shares-its-secrets

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SA Previews: Jumanji: The Next Level

August 28, 2020

In Jumanji: The Next Level, the crew is back in action, but the game is not the same as they remember. The original cast of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black are back, but they have some new friends this time around. Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, and Awkwafina are just a few of the new faces we see in the movie.

If you saw Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, you should have a pretty good understanding of what to expect from the original Jumanji crew. The chemistry between the four can clearly be seen on screen. Jack Black’s hilarious antics mixed with the friendship Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart have off the screen makes their characters feel even more real on the screen. The film takes what Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle started and makes it even greater during this film. There are new levels added to the game that are even more challenging. On top of this, the game is starting to fight back against the players, making the teenager’s alter egos mission even harder than before. The players must once again figure out a way to beat the game, and get out while trying to rescue another player.

Jumanji: The Next Level really does take the crew to the next level in this movie. The danger is greater, the thrills are even more hair-raising, and the humor is funnier than ever. If you want to see this hilarious, action-packed movie, come out to the Commons Lawn on September 5^th for either showing at 8:30 or 10:45pm. We will have free popcorn and concessions for sale. We hope to see you there!

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Event Preview: Block Party – How We’re Changing During COVID

August 24, 2020

Block Party is one of our most anticipated events each year, as we get to celebrate the start of a great school year together! This year, the event is slated to take place on August 29 in the LaHaye Parking Lot. We’ll have five artists joining us throughout the night, as well as rides, food vendors, giveaways, and more! If you’ve been following us on social media for some time, you’ll have seen quite a few announcements already regarding how we’re changing this event during COVID. As we enter Block Party week, we wanted to make sure everyone was following along to the changes and sanitary enhancements that will take place this year, in order to make the event a safe place for everyone.

First, we’ll be reducing our crowd sizes by offering three time slots for the event. Specifically, we’ll max each slot at 1,000 guests, so we’re in compliance with Virginia’s Phase 3 policies for entertainment sectors. These slots are:

Group One: 4:45 – 6:30 PM

Group Two: 7 – 8:45 PM

Group Three: 9:15 – 10:45 PM

To attend one of those slots, you must pickup a wristband this week on the Academic Lawn. We’re handing these out on Wednesday from 12 – 5 p.m. and if we have some left, we’ll be out there on Thursday from 2 – 5 p.m. Here are a few details regarding pickups:

• You must be a current Liberty student, faculty or staff to attend Block Party
• You may pick up a max of two wristbands (Separate LU ID/Flames Pass required per wristband)
• You may only attend one group session
• Time slots are on a first come first served basis

All guests will enter from Regents Pkwy and exit from the LaHaye Lobby or bus stop loop. This ensures lines won’t intersect and guests are spaced 6’ from another. There will be 30 minutes between group sessions to ensure the event can be turned over appropriately for the next session. Be sure to watch for line entrances/exits at each vendor so you’re doing your part in staying 6’ from other groups – we’ll have ground stickers navigating lines to make it super easy for you. Additionally, we’re asking all guests who attend our events to review our social media and website the day of the event for the latest info on what’s changing and how you can do your part in keeping the event safe. For now, there are three resources to help prepare you for Block Party:

• Keep an eye on our event page, where details will be added as necessary
• Review our Event Sanitary Guidelines to see how you can do your part in protecting all our guests
• Check out our recent blog post, “How We’re Changing Events During COVID”

Together, lets all do our part in making sure Block Party is safe and kicks off the school year the right way! We’re expecting nothing short of an upbeat, fun, and energetic event (hey, who isn’t excited about those shorter ride lines?). As always, for the latest event info, follow us on Instagram or the specific event page on our website. We’re really looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!

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