I am constantly listening to music. Whether it’s at work, doing homework, in the car, or just lounging around, you can almost always find me having some sort of tune playing wherever I am. If you’re like most people, you probably like to listen to music while going throughout your day. It’s helpful for drowning out distractions when you need to focus, but it’s also one of my favorite “self-therapy” tools if you want to call it that. Sitting down and deliberately listening to music is one of the most soothing and engaging things one could do.

When listening to music, I pick apart the lyrics. It’s always the focus of the music I listen to, and lyrics are almost always the reason for why I do or don’t like a song. This is how I thought everyone listened to music – focusing on the lyrics and letting the melody just be in the background. But over time, as I have had many discussions on various songs and artists in different genres, I realized this isn’t the case for a lot of people. Sometimes I show my friends songs with some meaningful and powerful lyrics, but when they hear only a piano or acoustic guitar in the background they aren’t impressed. I thought they were crazy. How could you not love the lyrical masterpiece this song is!!

My old roommate is a perfect example of this contrast in his approach to listening to music. He’s played drums since he was able to hold two sticks in his hands. Whenever he listens to music, his mind is engaged with the melody. He doesn’t pay close attention to the words or attempt to decipher the meaning of them. He judges music off the “sound” of the song and what the melody is portraying. Meanwhile, I listen to the same song he does, and completely focus on the lyrics.

This doesn’t mean one of us is completely ignoring the other way of listening to music, but it does mean, that for personal preference, our ears and minds engage different parts of the song. If you look up what’s more important to a song, you’ll see 9 out of 10 times it’s the music or the melody of the song, but this doesn’t mean lyrics should be forgotten. In fact, lyrics should be a heavy contributor to the “grade of a song”. So, how can we focus on and dissect the lyrics while not ignoring the rest of the song?

Focusing on the lyrics brings new depth to the music you’re listening to. It can give you insight into an artist’s life, the way they think, and the things going on within their own life. Listening to and understanding lyrics isn’t always straightforward and can take some time to unpack all the meaning behind specific words. Some songs may have lyrics seemingly without much meaning other than what you hear, but the deeper you dig, you find that many lyrics have hidden meanings, overarching stories, and poetic tools being used to make their true meanings a little harder to understand.

For me, I like to read the lyrics to a song after I listen to it. I look for any ways the lyrics may be written to show a double meaning or if there’s a greater picture being painted throughout the song as a whole. I then take note of anything I may not understand like a term or name, and try to find the meaning of it. I listen to the song again and try to find anything in the melody that gives any hints to the emotion the artist is trying to convey through a certain lyric. This helps me get into the artists shoes and allows for a deeper understanding of what that artist is trying to convey.

If you don’t have the time to sit down and dissect the music you listen to, or don’t have as much time as you’d like, there are podcasts that can help you get to the core meaning of songs. My favorite is Song Exploder. According to their website, “Song Exploder is a podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made.” They are also coming out with a Netflix series, so you could add it to the list of shows you want to binge next.

If you enjoy listening to hip-hop, Dissect is another great podcast for exploring lyrics. Cole Cuchna, a writer and producer for Clever-Clogs, breaks down each song on a specific album, and literally dissects every piece of it. There are more podcasts out there for music analysis, but these are my two favorite.

The next time you hear some new music, try and find some time to spend really breaking down the songs into their different components. It will give you deeper appreciation for the music and will help you better understand what you’re listening to!

Sources

https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2013/05/29/187168874/the-good-listener-whats-more-important-lyrics-or-music

https://www.nrgrecording.com/post/why-do-lyrics-matter

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18626-music-and-lyrics-how-the-brain-splits-songs/

https://songexploder.net/about

 

Written by: Andrew Reynolds 

Andrew Reynolds is a Senior Project Management Major, and enjoys writing for the blog because of the opportunity it gives him to grow as a writer and to challenge himself to see current topics and discussions from a view point he may not have otherwise thought about.

The Liberty football season is here, which means that game time snacks are here too! Let’s be honest, if you are at a football watch party without any snacks, is it even worth going? Our Flames football team has a big game this weekend, so I wanted to make a simple but delicious recipe that you and your friends can easily replicate game day. Today we are going to be making pull apart garlic bread pizza dip!

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. I always feel less stressed when I have all the ingredients and supplies ready to go before I start cooking so I don’t feel like I’m scrambling. You will need a 9″x13″ baking dish, a large bowl, a small bowl, a whisk, a wooden spoon, a cutting board, a chopping knife, a pastry brush, and measuring cups/spoons.

First, you are going to mix all of your different cheeses and some spices together in a large bowl. Mix together 2 cups of mozzarella, 16 oz. of cream cheese, 1 cup of ricotta, ⅓ cup of Parmesan, 1 tbsp. of Italian seasoning, and ½ tsp. of red pepper flakes. Personally, I added a little bit more Italian seasoning because I love the flavor that comes from it! After that, you are going to season the cheese mix with a little bit of kosher salt.

After you give it a good mixing (really put some elbow grease into it), transfer it into your 9”x13” baking dish and try to smooth it out as best as you can. You will then spread ¾ of a cup of pizza sauce on the cheese. Top that with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1 cup of mini pepperoni. I didn’t feel like ¾ of cup was enough pizza sauce for my liking, so I doubled what the recipe calls for.

Second, break open those beautiful Pillsbury Grand Biscuits. Split each biscuit in half and roll each half into a ball. After you make about 24 biscuit balls, place them on top of the dip.

 

For the third step, you are going to make the incredible garlic oil mixture that will go on top of the biscuits. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ of a cup of olive oil, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1 tbsp. of fresh parsley. Personally, I love garlic (especially in this recipe) so I added an extra 2 cloves for an extra kick. Brush the mixture on the biscuits and sprinkle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.

Fourth, bake those wonderful biscuits until they are golden, and the cheese has melted a bit, which takes about 45 minutes. Then cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake another 15 minutes, or until biscuits are cooked all the way through. Take the garlic bread pizza dip out of the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Then ENJOY!

I can almost guarantee these will become a fan favorite for the average cheese lover. This recipe serves 8 but could easily eaten up by 6 depending on how hungry the people are at your watch party. Overall, it takes about 20 minutes to prep the food and 60 minutes to bake, so it should take you about 1.5 hours to make. Happy cooking and Go Flames!

 Ingredients:

3 c. shredded mozzarella, divided

2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened

1 c. ricotta

1/3 c. plus 2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan, divided

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

3/4 c. pizza sauce (extra 3/4 c. optional)

1 c. mini pepperoni

2 (16-oz.) cans refrigerated biscuits (such as Pillsbury Grands)

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley

 

Written by: Kaitlyn Skarstein

Kaitlyn loves being able to write for the SA blog because she thinks it is important to share her voice. She loves being able to express her own opinions on important subjects that are relevant for students, faculty, and many others.

Generation Z is the first digital age generation that was raised up with technology available at every corner. Due to the current pandemic and social distancing we are seeing people connect through social media more than ever before. In addition to all the changes this world has gone through in the past year, TikTok has become a new social media giant keeping the world connected.

TikTok has a wide variety of followers that can find themselves spending hours on it each day. There are, however, some that are anti-TikTok due to the time it consumes. The questions and concerns are valid, but what about in the midst of a pandemic when the world is shut down? Is TikTok actually the one thing keeping the world connected, or is it the one thing that is hurting us?

In my personal experience, I downloaded TikTok early on just as it was starting to get big. I quickly saw a wide variety of users on this social media platform, from teens doing dances at youth group, to even parents doing dances with their kids on the app. I also noticed how TikTok was not simply being used to connect with friends and family, but rather it was being used for global unity. Rather than showing others their unique lives, people were now joining other random people by participating in common trends.

The New York Times said, “TikTok instead encourages users to jump from audience to audience, trend to trend, creating something like simulated temporary friend groups, who get together to do friend-group things: to share an inside joke; to riff on a song; to talk idly and aimlessly about whatever is in front of you”.

I found that my TikTok was constantly pulling from different people, dances, and themes each day as the app catered to me. After realizing this, I thought, “Is this healthy?” As the platform figured out which TikTok’s made me laugh more than others, I found myself spending hours on the app every day.

After about three weeks of having the app, I deleted TikTok. Choosing to delete the platform freed up a lot of my time to do what I wanted to do. As TikTok continued to evolve and become more popular over quarantine, it kept people connected, but also made them co-dependent.

In a study, JAMA said, “increased time spent on social media may be a risk factor for internalizing problems in adolescents”. Their conclusion that youth are experiencing problems related back to spending more time on social media isn’t surprising to hear. Social media itself may not damaging, but the way we use it can so often become a crutch to our lives. So how do we protect ourselves mentally while reaping the benefits of social media such as connecting people and bringing them together?

The first step to enjoying TikTok while protecting yourself is limiting your time on it. It is so easy to spend time on your phone and waste away your afternoon, but it’s crucial to set boundaries to decrease the amount of time spent on social media. Putting a time limit on your phone or scheduling out your day to dedicate thirty minutes to TikTok can help reduce time spent on the app.

The next step to protecting yourself from social media is developing different hobbies. Hobbies are needed for the mental wellbeing of a person. We were created to enjoy life outside of our phones, so find a different activity you love to do. Whether it is gardening, running, writing, or playing music, finding a healthy outlet allows you to clear your mind and reset.

The last plan of action is taking time to interact with people. Set aside time to sit and talk or go to social gatherings. We were created for community and TikTok by itself does not cut it. Having social interactions and going to social gatherings can help prevent you from feeling isolated, which often leads to depression and anxiety.

At the end of the day, TikTok can be a positive outlet, but it definitely cannot take the place of our only social interactions and hobbies. It is a fun platform, but it is so easy to let it completely consume our time. Remember you were created to enjoy life and it is important to take care of yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically. If we do not stop to take care of ourselves today, we will only be hurting ourselves in the long run. Like most things, it’s important to find a balance while using TikTok. Just remember to practice self-control with the app, so that you are able to have the time for healthy hobbies and those important social interactions with people we were created to have.

Sources

www.adcouncil.org/social-medias-impact-on-society?gclid=Cj0KCQjwk8b7BRCaARIsAARRTL6zRrzVPCnN2FCaAxQKaEOBdaYhIMjk2hPmqZVUf78wHzsXPRRRaCoaAm6BEALw_wcB.

www.nytimes.com/2019/03/10/style/what-is-tik-tok.html

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2749480

College goes by fast. I’m sure you’ve heard that so many times since being at Liberty, but I just want to reiterate it; college flies by. As a senior, I look back on these last 3 years to lots of laughter, tears, life-giving friendships, new passions, and SubCo. Here is some advice I want to give to freshmen about your college experience from a senior’s perspective.

First, put yourself out there and be bold in your friendships. Your community is your lifeline in college. According to Mayo Clinic, “Friends also play a significant role in promoting your overall health. Adults with strong social support have a reduced risk of many significant health problems, including depression, high blood pressure and an unhealthy body mass index (BMI). Studies have even found that older adults with a rich social life are likely to live longer than their peers with fewer connections”. Friendships not only give you a healthier lifestyle, but also a more fun one too. I would not be where or who I am today without the people that I call my best friends.

I had to get past the discomfort of asking someone to grab dinner, or hang out with me first, because frankly, I just needed friends. If I wasn’t bold in asking people to hangout, I probably wouldn’t have the friends I have today. Just know that it’s okay to reach out first because everybody wants a friend. Once you get that community, do everything you can to pour into it and be vulnerable. Vulnerability is a tough thing for most people, but I promise you it is worth it. When you are vulnerable with people, it allows you to be free to yourself and results in a much deeper relationship.

Second, it’s okay to not know what you want to do for the rest of your life. When I came to college, I was undecided on my field of study. Since then, I’ve switched my major 3 times, but I’m happy I did because I love my classes and my major. When you’re 18 it’s hard to make big decisions, because those same decisions will impact a large majority of your life. However, just know that it’s okay to change your major, because your passions will usually change at some point too. Borderzine states, “About 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career”.

When you do find those classes that you are excited to go to, even when it’s at 8:15 AM, pour yourself into it. You are in college to do a lot of things, but to educate yourself is the main reason, so don’t waste it! Take classes that interest you, not ones that you feel like you need to take just because it’s what the “smart people” are doing. Not everyone is going to have the same strengths and callings, so not everyone is going to major in the same thing or take the same classes.

Third, take your relationship with God seriously. Being at Liberty is a huge blessing and something you should not take lightly. You could go to a different bible study every night of the week if you wanted to because there are countless opportunities to deepen your relationship with God here. Don’t waste these opportunities. When you get out of Liberty you will most likely be in a very secular part of the world where you won’t have the spiritual resources you do now, so take advantage of them!

Don’t just attend Campus Community or Convocation and count that as your quiet time. Open up your Bible and spend alone time with God so you can truly grow in an intimate relationship with Him. Also, get connected to a local church so you can serve your local community. Check out this blog post if you’re struggling to get connected with a church in Lynchburg.

Fourth, don’t give into FOMO. FOMO, fear of missing out, can truly ruin your college experience. You have to learn to be content with where you are and not envy other people’s experiences. The more you learn to cherish the present moment, the easier it will be to not give into FOMO.

Psychology Today states, “College is a time when we are programmed to develop on two parallel tracks: On the one hand, we are making new kinds of connections with our peers, developing more adult friendships and more intense romantic relationships than in the past; and on the other, we are making inroads into our future professional goals”. It’s tough to learn the balance between the two, but just know that everyone struggles with it. Learn that you cannot be omni-present, which means that you will miss out on things, but so does everybody else!

Fifth, start establishing habits. You might think that what you are doing your freshman year won’t affect you as a senior or graduate, but that’s wrong. How you study now will affect how you study when you’re a senior. What your work ethic is now, will affect how your work ethic is when you have graduated and have a full-time job.

The World Counts states, “More than 40 percent of the actions you perform each day aren’t actual decisions, but habits. They grow stronger and stronger over time and become more and more automatic. Habits are so powerful because they create neurological cravings: A certain behavior is rewarded by the release of “pleasure” chemicals in the brain”. Habits control your life, so start making good ones today!

Sixth, maximize your freedom! College is made for last minute road trips, discovering the world, learning more about yourself, having late nights at Cookout, going on early sunrise drives to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and making memories that will truly last a lifetime. Savor every moment with your friends and don’t stop trying new things.

Don’t leave college looking back on all the things you wish you would have done, just do it now! You will not have this little amount of responsibility for a long time in life, so maximize it. Don’t take this season for granted. Trust me, it will go by fast.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-couch/201309/fomo-and-the-college-student-tap-your-inner-wisdom

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/friendships/art-20044860#:~:text=Boost%20your%20happiness%20and%20reduce,drinking%20or%20lack%20of%20exercise

https://borderzine.com/2013/03/college-students-tend-to-change-majors-when-they-find-the-one-they-really-love/#:~:text=About%2080%20percent%20of%20students,course%20of%20their%20college%20career.

https://www.theworldcounts.com/happiness/the-importance-of-good-habits

 

Written by: Kaitlyn Skarstein

Kaitlyn loves being able to write for the SA blog because she thinks it is important to share her voice. She loves being able to express her own opinions on important subjects that are relevant for students, faculty, and many others.

Music is one of the most commercialized mediums of media in the entertainment industry. Most people, especially college students/young adults, consume music on a daily basis. With the commercial success of music, the majority of listeners will listen to the most popular and mainstream artists that are signed to the big record labels.

Republic Records, for example, have household names such as Post Malone, Drake, and Taylor Swift signed under them. With the domination of these record labels in the music industry, fans of music have grown fatigued of the products coming from these labels.

For me personally, I will rarely listen to the radio because I have gained a level of boredom with the mainstream music landscape. Much to my delight, a new brand of music has grown to break these borders that have been placed by record labels.

During the transition from the late 2010s to the early 2020s, more independent artists have been making a name for themselves. The emergence of the genre referred to as “bedroom pop” has become one of the most consumed styles of music in the past few years. I feel that the success of this genre is mainly accredited to the craving for something different, and a more personalized feel for music.

Bedroom Pop means exactly what the name is; start up artists that attempt to break into the mainstream pop industry by producing their music in their bedrooms. Production software such as Logic Pro X, FL Studios, and Ableton Live encourages young musicians to create their own sound and open up a new world of musical capabilities. Along with streaming services such as YouTube, Spotify, and Soundcloud, there are a variety of mediums for artists to market and distribute their music.

Bedroom Pop is characterized by the somewhat low production quality that gives it a charm that massively produced music from record labels don’t have. It’s an experience that feels personal – like a friend showing you their music they have been working on independently.

Spearheading this new turn in the music industry are artists like Clairo. Claire Cotril, recorded a lo-fidelity track, titled “Pretty Girl”, to YouTube, and it has amassed over 90 million streams. This breakout has inspired many other artists to follow suit and throw out their music with nothing but the intention to share their talents.

Compton raised musician, Steve Lacy, produced his debut EP, “Red,” entirely on his phone through the free phone app, Garageband, before signing for Three Quarter Records. The music industry has also seen the massive success of artists like Rex Orange County and Omar Apollo who have millions of monthly listeners on Spotify.

It is obvious to see the demand for this style of music. The growth it has experienced in such a short amount of time, in and of itself, is a spectacle. My only hope is that it will stay true to what made it successful in the first place; which is giving small, up-and-coming artists a chance to share their music with the world.

Sources

https://medium.com/@brokenstereo/bedroom-pop-and-the-rise-of-the-diy-artist-1946e83bc7e0

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/big-three-record-labels-2460743

https://www.republicrecords.com/artists

 

Written by: Alex Quan

Alex is a Senior Business Communications Major and enjoys writing for the blog because of the opportunity to express his thoughts and interests through the medium of a blog! It’s a healthy way to share his opinions with others and hopefully start a dialogue with them.

This summer I lived in Memphis, Tennessee. Going into it I had no idea what to expect, but it wasn’t long before I became acquainted with what Memphis was all about. As I acclimated to the culture there, I discovered that much of Memphis rallies behind their barbecue. Since I am from North Carolina, where barbecue is no joking matter, I was intrigued. I quickly began to learn that this different city brought along with it a different style of barbecue.

While there are many people who love barbecue, there are many who do not. If you fall into the latter category, what you might not know is that just because you haven’t enjoyed the barbecue you’ve tried before, it doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t like barbecue as a whole. There are actually many different types of barbecue. Did you know that there are even numerous ways people agree on spelling barbecue? Some people spell it like barbeque or BBQ, but according to AmazingRibs.com, “linguists and historians generally agree that the proper spelling is barbecue because it is derived from the word barbacoa, and that other spellings are colloquial”.

Now I’m sure you are wondering what type of barbecue is the best, but that is up for you to decide. There are so many different types and different ingredients that go into each style of barbecue depending on your region, so let’s take a minute to dive into each variation of the dish.

First, there is North Carolina style barbecue. This meat is pork-based, which is the more traditional style. The sauce, however, is more unique, in that it has a vinegar base which can make it thinner, but adds a lot of that flavor people look for without the thick sauce. This differs from the typical barbecue style that is more of a tomato-based sauce. A good place recommended by thrillist.com is “Lexington Barbecue”. There you will get a cozy southern family feel in the restaurant’s environment.

South Carolina barbecue is similar to the North Carolina experience, but they add in a little extra magic to spice up their sauce. Instead of just using the vinegar base, tastingtable.com states they use “a heavy tomato, a light tomato, and a mustard sauce (aka Carolina Gold)”. South Carolina is known for their famous mustard base that throws a rich spice into their food.

Next is Memphis style barbecue. Memphis will typically use a pork-based meat for their dish. They often use a more traditional style of barbecue sauce that has a tomato-based sauce that is much thicker than the North Carolina vinegar base. This has a sweet and tangy flavor. A couple of places I recommend if you’re ever in Memphis are Commissary in Germantown or Central BBQ, where you can get a large portion of barbecue nachos.

A little further west, you will find some Kansas style barbecue. Not only do they use pork, but you might find places using a variety of protein, including chicken, sausage, and beef. To top off this array of meats, they put a thick barbecue sauce with a tomato base that carries a sweet flavor. Thrillist.com suggests “Oklahoma Joe’s” in Kansas City as a prime place to buy this style of barbecue.

Last but not least, there is of course Texas style barbecue. The saying everything is bigger in Texas truly comes to life when you receive a Texas sized portion of barbecue. In contrast to the Carolinas, Texas barbecue is more known for their brisket. Similar to Kansas, they to have a variety of meats that are included in every order. If you want to try authentic Texan barbecue that will bring out the Western in you, then thrillist.com suggest “Franklin Barbecue” in Austin.

Barbecue has been around for ages and many people rally behind their different opinions on which region has the best barbecue. Whether you like the barbecue of the south or the west, vinegar or tomato based, sweet or tangy, it all can bring us back to dinners with friends and family. If you want to try some barbecue while in Lynchburg, a well-known place to visit would be “Small Batch Barbecue”. There you can enjoy quality time with the people you love, make memories, and consume a whole bunch of barbecue.

Sources

https://amazingribs.com/barbecue-history-and-culture/what-barbecue

https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/styles-of-barbecue-in-america-regional-bbq-meats-sauces-preparations-thrillist-nation

https://www.tastingtable.com/dine/national/styles-american-bbq-barbecue

 

Written by Riley Anderson

Riley is a junior majoring in Christian Leadership and Church Ministry with a minor in Biblical Studies.

 

After touching up my facial hair on a Sunday for the week ahead, I noticed the makings of what looked like a gray hair. Perhaps it was the stress of youth or my proximity to the “young at heart” at the church I attend, but it would appear as though I was in the research and development stage of donning a salt and pepper look. But while I was concerned about the occasional gray hair, I realized just how many people try to hide theirs. Hair dye purchases rise with age. We’re taught never to ask how old a person is (and even when we do, we are supposed to jokingly play it off like they are at least fifteen years younger than they actually are). Age is lectured to society as being something we should hide and deny. It is almost as if old age is something to be despised and not prized.

God speaks to the contrary. “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” “The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.” (Proverbs 16:31, 20:29). Aside from a senior citizen’s discount at various fast food chains, those who have circled the sun time and time again are blessed with a lifetime of experiences, and from those experiences wisdom can be gleaned. Congregations across the country may have a lot of able-bodied young people but lack wrinkles, and therefore, are missing out on decades of life experiences we can grow and learn from.

In an effort to connect younger generations with the older ones in the Church, I took part in a project where I sat down with one of the older gentlemen who attended the same congregation as I did, and asked him some provided questions. What was supposed to last fifteen minutes ended up lasting over two hours as this over seventy year old faithful member of College Hill Baptist Church (now Gospel Community College Hill) shared his life’s experiences. From childhood to relationships, the many ways College Hill has changed over the years, and his deep friendships with other recently passed long-time church members, I collected more wisdom from a two hour interview than I had received from years of watching videos online.

Aside from giving us a timeframe for various reigns, I think that 2 Chronicles depicts the age that the Kings started to rule, and for how long they reigned was because the amount of “life in their years” needed to be highlighted. Methuselah, who lived longer than any person in recorded history, is admired not only for his record number of birthday candles on his birthday cake, but for the amount of wisdom and experience he must have cultivated over the course of his 969 year life (Genesis 5:27). There’s a reason why Paul instructed Timothy to not rebuke an older man in 1 Timothy 5. Paul recognized the seasoned wisdom commonly found in those who have been around longer.

Paul knew of Timothy’s potential, and so as the old man speaking to his young pupil, he advised him to be an example for believers, the young and old alike, “…in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12). The Apostle Paul would know a thing or two about how to live a life well, and while much of his life was used up in persecuting Christians, now as one he was encouraging the young Timothy to live a life of steadfast integrity, so that throughout his days, whether in old age or youth, he would have the credibility to advise others how to live life for Christ. The yearning of Paul’s heart would be that Timothy would be able to teach from his successes of faithfulness rather than from his failings. He wanted the next generation to do it even better than he did, which is what the older generations should want from the younger generations, in the Church and elsewhere.

Realistically, there are some daunting realities that accompany old age, including increased chance of disease, the loss of friends of the same age, a weakened body, and perhaps a mind that is not as strong as it once was. But the gray hairs on our head should be viewed as indicators that someone is further along in the race, a race they are striving to finish well (2 Timothy 4:7-8). We should cheer on our gray haired friends out of recognition that we will one day be with them by the grace of God. They need the encouragement to continue on in the race as the things they have known for so long begin to fade. Since God holds age and wisdom in such high esteem, we should too.

It would be so blatantly counter-cultural to appreciate the amount of years we have been given in this life. Not all who have lived have seen the amount of days we see. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we vastly appreciated the years God has blessed us with by not shying away from how old we are? I simply do not want to love birthdays up until I reach thirty and then hide my real age from the public eye until milestone birthdays, or until I reach my eighties where my age is suddenly seen as something to be celebrated. That’s a fifty year gap of not being thankful for the longevity my God has graced me with. Gray need not be a color associated with gloominess in our heads; if we shifted our perspective and our appreciation, it can be associated with matured wisdom and grace.

Written by: Landen Swain

Landen believes the human experience longs to be expressed; through our art, our labor, our songs, our storytelling. As a published playwright, author, and poet, he enjoys expressing his little chapter of the human experience through his writings and is thankful that the SA blog allows him to do that. He is published in numerous magazines, literary journals, and has several plays published by Off the Wall Plays, an online play publishing house.

With most people being stuck at home for an extended period of time during the first few months of quarantine, streaming services took advantage of that and released a plethora of shows for the bored person at home to binge. Avatar: The Last Airbender led the pack with the series holding a spot in the top 10 of most watched shows on Netflix for sixty days, breaking the previous record by three days. The animated series that originally aired back in 2005, caught major traction and reignited its loyal fanbase. More than 10 years later, this show intended for children is more relevant than ever as the original audience has grown up into more socially aware individuals. I can rave on and on about how good the show is with its world building, complex characters, and incredible soundtrack, but what stands out the most to me in this show is the presentation of social commentary.

During my re-watch of the series, I picked up on the dark subject matters that the show tackled, and how brilliantly it presented such topics to a younger audience. The fact that Avatar, an animated show that aired weekly on Nickelodeon, was able to present social issues like authoritarianism, genocide, and sexism in a refined and productive way is so impressive to me.

If you’re reading this I’m assuming you have watched the show in its entirety and know the story of how the Fire Nation came to power. The Last Airbender subtly depicts the form of government called authoritarianism and how the Fire Nation empire has taken ahold of all 4 nations – disrupting the balance of the world. This is shown through stories of the oppression of the average citizen, as well as the perspective of Fire Nation children being brainwashed in their schools by the instilling of nationalism. It is easy to see the critiques of concepts like colonialism and imperialism by how the show presents the damage done to society and how power can be the deadliest weapon of all.

One of the most overlooked grim aspect of this show is the genocide of the Air Nomads. In Aang’s absence, Fire Lord Sozin completely wiped out every air nomad in an attempt to kill the Avatar before he/she could end his reign. Aang returns to his old home to find out that the place where he spent his entire life was destroyed and his closest friends murdered by the Fire Nation. The show even went so far to expose the audience to the skeleton of Monk Gyatso, Aang’s best friend and mentor. When I was younger, I did not truly realize the gravity of a nation decimating another one just because of paranoia.

Lastly, and personally my favorite social issue that was addressed by Avatar, is their critique of sexism and gender equality. This is mainly portrayed through the cast of strong female characters that break the misogynistic mold of women not being able to be capable warriors and leaders. Seeing the character progression of Katara and Toph becoming two of the strongest benders in all 4 nations served as a breath of fresh air from the typical narrative depicted by many forms of media when it comes to women. Also, seeing the growth of Sokka was encouraging. He was first introduced as a young man with misogynistic tendencies and a complex of toxic masculinity, but grew into a man that honors and empowers women. Sokka ends up falling in love with Suki, who epitomizes the leadership capabilities and warrior spirit of women.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a beautiful example of how a TV show can tastefully and effectively implement social commentary into the story they want to tell. I accredit many of the life lessons I’ve learned to this series and it honestly has grown me in ways I didn’t think a cartoon could. If only Avatar could teach me how to waterbend…now that, would make it the greatest show of all time.

Sources:

https://www.newsweek.com/avatar-last-airbender-show-netflix-chart-top-10-record-1519004

https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2020/07/avatar-the-last-airbender-5f08ddab8f1d4

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5943jz/avatar-the-last-airbender-is-still-one-of-the-greatest-shows-of-all-time

Written by: Alex Quan

Alex is a Senior Business Communications Major and enjoys writing for the blog because of the opportunity to express his thoughts and interests through the medium of a blog! It’s a healthy way to share his opinions with others and hopefully start a dialogue with them.

“Buy Local” billboards bombard downtown areas where small businesses dwell. Local performance venues are rolling out new promotions of local artists that they encourage you to listen as part of supporting your community and loving your neighbor. Your significant other needs to be invested in all while also supporting your friends in their interests. Life seems to be pulling you a million different ways and it seems nearly impossible to support all the people and causes that you want to while also keeping your sanity. For this reason, learning how to leverage your life to support the things you care about is an essential skill to learn. You must utilize having what you invest in support the other things you want to invest in.

            For example, let’s say you are dating someone. A study by a team at the University of Virginia found that “…people who spent quality time with their partner at least once a week were 3.5 times more likely to report being ‘very happy’ in their relationship compared to those who didn’t.” This speaks to the dire necessity of investing in relationships, but with all the other things and people you want to invest in, how can you devote your time to making your romantic relationship thrive? The solution is as simple as investing in them while supporting others. If a friend owns or works at a restaurant, take your significant other out on a date there. Got friends in a band? A lovely concert date. Not only would you then be supporting your friends but you are investing in your relationship, making memories, and contributing to the local economy.

            Musicians need streams and concert gigs to make a living. By listening as you drive around, sharing songs and albums on social media, and going to concerts you are helping them advance in their career. For YouTubers and other internet personnel, subscriptions are needed in order to build a larger audience. It costs you nothing to hit the subscribe button on YouTube or Spotify, which builds their numbers, presence, influence, and support.

            If you work in a mentorship or youth ministry organization but you have friendships you want to stoke or relationships you want to kindle, then your solution is to take your friends or significant other to events and businesses the kids you are pouring into are at. Stopping by an ice cream place one of “your kids” is at after going to a musical one of your other kids is a prime example of how you can leverage hanging out with your closest circle while supporting those in your investment circle.

            For the student who values hanging out with friends, perhaps the best way to leverage your life is to study with your friends. That way you not only invest in your academic life, but you build friendships as well. Friends who struggle or thrive academically alongside each other tend to stay together because nothing unites people quite like a common struggle.

            Lastly, you can support certain missions and organizations just by going about your normal life mindfully. Companies like Kroger have a rewards system in place that gives money back to a non-profit as you buy your groceries. Amazon started Amazon Smile in order to give a portion of purchases to non-profits. Thus far, they have raised over $100 million dollars for charities and non-profits, all because people mindfully went about life as usual.

            There are a million different ways to have the things you love to pour into support the other things you love, you just have to think through how you can leverage the one to support the other. Priorities can feed into the things of secondary importance if you play your cards right and live a leveraged life.

Sources

https://www.psychologies.co.uk/love/life-lab-experiment-love-7.html

https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/29/amazonsmile-has-raised-100-million-for-charity/

Written by: Landen Swain

Landen believes the human experience longs to be expressed; through our art, our labor, our songs, our storytelling. As a published playwright, author, and poet, he enjoys expressing his little chapter of the human experience through his writings and is thankful that the SA blog allows him to do that. He is published in numerous magazines, literary journals, and has several plays published by Off the Wall Plays, an online play publishing house.

At some point in life, someone is bound to tell you to follow your passion. It seems like something that you should do because it just feels right, but what does it really mean to follow your passion? How do you even fully understand what “your passion” is? 

Passion is hard to define simply because people come from many different walks of life and will always differ in what they want to do or be. It can be defined as having an emotional attachment to something that you are willing to follow. One author even writes, “It’s a cause that I care about so much that I am willing to suffer for it,” just to emphasize the importance of the matter. Finding your passion is searching for what you care about the most, and giving the maximum time and energy to see that to fulfillment. 

Now that passion is defined, the real question is if following your passion is the right move.  An article from The Muse explains why following your passion on a personal level is not the right move for two different reasons. 

First, it’s unclear how to follow your passion. It’s great to want to do something you love, but do you understand the logistics that go into it? Will you make money? Do you have to major in a specific field or go to a specific college? Do you have to move to another state or even country? All these questions will pop up during the process of attempting to follow your passion.

I always wanted to be a general manager of a professional sports team. This “passion” of mine was something I wanted up until my freshman year of college, and quickly went away after analyzing the improbability of that happening. Most people would tell me that I gave up on my passion. Instead, it opened up way more opportunities for me in college and my career path as well.

The second reason is that people assume that following your passion is easy when it’s not. It takes a lot of time and dedication for someone to follow their passion, as well as days where you can doubt yourself. Thinking about following your passion is comforting and exciting, but if you reach it there’s always the potential that it can turn out differently than imagined. Life comes at you fast and can quickly turn your passion into something that you may not want to pursue anymore.

The point of this article is not to discourage you from following your passion. The point is to make you think about why you’re following that path. Is it because you truly want to dedicate your life to whatever your passion is, or is it something you think will bring you the most happiness? I want to encourage you to reflect on what you want to accomplish in life before deciding on your path to follow.

 A great quote to abide by is “The path of least resistance is what makes rivers run crooked.” If you go through life with no issues, are you really accomplishing anything? Resistance creates hardships temporarily, but when you reach your passion’s goal, it makes the journey so much sweeter. Reflect and analyze before pursuing your passion. It could save you from wasting time and point you towards the correct path.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/quotes/2580/#:~:text=The%20path%20of%20least%20resistance%20is%20what%20makes%20rivers%20run%20crooked.

https://www.themuse.com/advice/why-follow-your-passion-is-pretty-bad-advice

https://www.embracepossibility.com/blog/real-meaning-passion/

 

Written by: Mike Tammaro

Mike Tammaro is a Junior double majoring in Finance and Economics and writes for the blog in order to expand my skills as a student. As a business major, the curriculum does not allow for a lot of creative writing, so being able to publish written work is freeing from my normal educational routine.