Student Activities is looking forward to having Christian hip hop recording artist Aaron Cole with us on February 18^th in the LaHaye Event Space!

Ever since he was a little boy, Aaron Cole was surrounded by music. He grew up and was raised by a music centered family where his father even had a recording studio put in their apartment for their own usage and enjoyment. Cole discovered that his true passion was music while in high school and decided that he wanted to work towards becoming a professional rapper. Music truly was his muse. “I remember in junior high just enjoying being a regular kid, but I would get picked on because I wasn’t smoking, drinking, or getting in trouble,” says Cole. “One afternoon I came home and told my dad what was going on and why, and he shared that he thought I was called for a purpose and that this calling would cost me to not be like everyone else. It was that moment that I encountered God for the first time for myself, and I knew I was born to do this and began writing and putting my own songs together.” He currently is living in Bristol, VA and has released a total of six independent projects featuring popular artists such as Hollyn and DJ Maj. He was even given the honor of being inducted into the Christian Hip Hop’s top media outlet Rapzilla’s Freshman class and was discussed in an article published by Essence Magazine as one of 16 gospel artists to keep an eye out for. He was then signed to Gotee Records in 2017 and has truly made his mark on the Christian Hip hop industry.

Aaron Cole’s music is truly special as it mixes grounded Christian themes with popular sounds and relevant musical style. It just goes to show that so many mediums can be harnessed to glorify God as we live in this world but not of it.

We hope to see you in the LaHaye Event Space on Friday, February 18^th at 7:30 pm. Get your tickets now!

 

Written by: Hayley Lundberg

Hayley is a Senior majoring in Strategic Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. She enjoys working with her Student Activities family and is very grateful for the opportunity to be apart of such a creative team who truly cares about the students of Liberty. The blog in particular has been a great outlet for her to share with others!

You never know what is going to happen next. That has always been the essence of what makes an “Open Mic Night” so much fun. If you go to a small-town Applebee’s karaoke contest, you are guaranteed to hear an old man, a few teeth shy of a smile, sing his heart out to Taylor Swift. Up next is a mom in her 50’s channeling her desire for grandchildren through a stuttered rendition of “Livin’ on a prayer”. But at Student Activities’ Open Mic Night there are no such assurances. You might watch your friend sing an original song or hear a student jazz group play smooth melodies. Regardless, Open Mic Night is sure to show you something you’ve never seen before. The talent on our campus is undeniable and a few nights a semester we try to provide a platform to those that may not have one. Whether it be the engineering student who secretly practices guitar each day or the nursing student who can hit each note of Beyonce’s “Halo” as good as the Queen herself, Open Mic Night brings out the performer in all of us.

Change and innovation are deeply rooted in who we are as people. If something can be better, we try to find a way to make it better. This is how we grow, working off what we had before and building on it. Many times, the changes that were made were fiercely opposed simply because they were different. If changes are bad then we get to learn from our mistakes, which in the end helps us to push our changes even further. Student Activities is not an exception to this rule in fact it’s a rule SA lives by. Just because something has been done one way for a longtime does not mean it’s the right way or even the best way.

This Spring Open Mic Night may seem a little different than it had in years past.

• First and foremost, we are going to schedule opening/closing acts for each night. These student performers have proven that they can put together a 4 song setlist, and are ready to blow the roof off.
• Any acts who perform in Coffeehouse will be given a “Golden Ticket”. This allows the acts a one-time only chance to walk into an Open Mic Night and perform right then and there.
• Acts will be asked to perform at random, and not in sequential order. This means that the first person to sign up and the last person to arrive have the same chance of performing that night. We do not want to discourage acts that have tough class schedules or prior commitments.

Every year new students, new ideas, and new perspectives come on to this campus and SA needs to be able to adapt to give everyone the best experience. We work hard to craft experiences to the changing environment that is a college campus. This does not mean that everything we change is right, but then we learn something new and can continue on to bigger and better things. The hardest part of a new idea is when it impacts you because we all want to be the most important, we all want to make the most out of every opportunity that come our way. We just need to remember that this change is not bad because it changes our life or maybe bumps our ego a little too hard. As we take a step back, we may get to see how these changes help those around us or even make life a little bit more exciting. Just remember that more we learn and grow the better we can change. So let us all take a little bit of time to embrace the changes in our lives and see if we can get a little bit of good from them.

 

Written by: Jordan Kreitzinger – Assistant Director of Student Activities

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!! Everyone’s favorite holiday, right? Who doesn’t love an entire day devoted to cheesy pick-up lines, mediocre chocolate, and oversized stuffed animals!? And the best part – cheesy Rom-Coms! Whether you love to hate them or hate to love them, you have to admit that sitting down on Valentine’s Day weekend with your closest friends or your significant other, eating too much junk food, and watching a romantic comedy just can’t be beat!

Romantic comedies are films that portray love in a comedic and light-hearted way. Romcoms have been around for a long time, beginning on the stage long before film even came around. Some early examples of romantic comedies come from the great playwright himself, William Shakespeare. Some of his plays, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing follow a typical romantic comedy form. Two people meet for the first time, a conflict arises, trying to stop them from falling in love, but the stars align, and they find their way back to each other and live happily ever after. Cheesy – I know. We love to make fun of the unrealistic nature of these films, but we can’t help but sit on the edge of our seats, wishing that they would finally find each other again. We want to believe in love!

There are many different tropes of the classic Romcom. There’s your classic hallmark movie – big city businessman falls in love with the small-town girl. There’s the Fake-Relationship-turns-True-Love (shout out To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before!), which is possibly the cheesiest of all cheesy love stories. We can’t forget about the classic Forbidden Love, beautifully depicted in the classic play Romeo and Juliet. And my personal favorite – Friends to Falling in Love, two best friends searching for love and finally realize that what they have been looking for has been right in front of them the whole time!

Whatever classic storyline you love the most, you can be sure to find it at our Romantic Comedy Movie Marathon on February 12! We will be in the LaHaye Event Space enjoying classic love stories all evening long! If mushy love stories aren’t your thing, we will also be viewing some classic, heartfelt coming of age stories featuring the love shared between friends and sisters such Princess Diaries and Little Women (two of my favorites!) Bring your friends or your own true love to laugh, cry, and cringe over some of the best cheesy romantic comedies of our generation.

 

Written by: Sarah Day

Sarah is a junior majoring in Youth Ministry. Sarah enjoys writing for the blog because she loves exploring the ways that the simplest things in our lives impact us in the most meaningful ways. She is passionate about connecting with people, talking about what truly matters and baking.

The 1980s were truly memorable and was a decade that people can’t get seem to get enough of. Remakes of popular ’80s movies are in the works and well known shows of that time are also being rebooted on numerous streaming platforms. Things such as fashion, music, and styles of that decade have resurfaced. Let’s take a look at what makes this decade worth reliving all over again!

The launch of MTV, or Music Television, was one of the most memorable moments in music history. It began in 1981 with the statement ‘Ladies and gentleman, rock and roll.’ The first video it played was The Buggles’ ‘Video Killed The Radio Star.’ Madonna’s outrageous performances raised eyebrows all around during the 1980s, but she was well-loved by many fans. Michael Jackson’s career was at its peak in the ’80s; this was when he acquired most of his wealth and fame.

Big hair styles were a symbol for the whole decade. Those hairstyles required a lot of hairspray in particular! Shoulder pads were seen on almost every powerful female character on TV during the ’80s. Real people obviously wore them as well, though we can’t imagine how they managed that extra burden throughout the day. Leather jackets, denim jackets, and aviator jackets were trending throughout the ’80s, sometimes simultaneously. Parachute pants were also a thing, though they also had a practical purpose. Break-dancers found these clothing items useful when they showed off their moves. Since movies like ‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ were reaching new heights of popularity, this also meant that aerobics wear was in. Leg warmers were a part of such ensembles and you could find several different colors and designs. Along with permed hair, you could find the mullet, one of the most recognizable hairstyles of the ’80s. Some women also sported mullets in the ’80s and today, you can see this hair style popping up on women and men. Jeans are an everyday clothing item for most of us, but the ’80s added their own touch to them. Fashion-conscious youngsters would either buy jeans with an acid wash effect or try to bleach their current pair for those white streaks. If there were rips at the knees, the jeans would be even more in keeping with ’80s fashion. The Madonna effect on fashion in the ’80s is undeniable. Fingerless gloves, leggings with longer skirts, beaded necklaces, fishnets, bangles, busty tops and huge hair bows…the influences were shocking at times, but you can’t deny they were easy to follow. Several styles of the ’80s are still relevant today. Just a couple of examples include women having several earrings in one ear, wearing denim jackets on denim jeans, shoulder pads, and just like I mentioned mullets are coming back!

The arcade game Pac-Man was one of the most popular and quintessential trends of the ’80s. It was released in the United States in October 1980 and was immediately popular among all video and arcade game lovers. The Rubik’s Cube debuted in the 1980s and soon triggered a worldwide craze. It’s now considered to be the best-selling toy ever. Other amazing toys that hail from the ’80s include Micro Machines, Cabbage Patch Kids, G. I. Joe, Transformers, Care Bears, Masters of the Universe, etc. The Sony Walkman made its first appearance during the ’80s. Soon, every portable cassette player was called a ‘Walkman’ whether they were associated with Sony or not. If you were strolling along with a Walkman in your hands or attached to your belt, you were probably one of the cool kids. No discussion about pop culture in the ’80s would be complete without mentioning the Indiana Jones series. Harrison Ford was the biggest action star of the decade, though his work on Star Wars cannot be ignored. The first installment of the Batman series, ‘Top Gun’, ‘Die Hard’, Terminator were all within the ’80s decade. Other notable movies of this time include ‘Beetlejuice’, ‘The Goonies’, ‘Predator’, and ‘Gremlins’. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ probably deserves a separate mention, as this movie is still well-loved for its super confident, supercool protagonist. Steven Spielberg and John Hughes ruled the film industry in the ’80s. They were responsible for several popular works such as ‘The Breakfast Club’, ‘Sixteen Candles’, ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, ‘E.T’, and so many more.

‘NASA launched several space shuttles during the 1980s. Most of these missions were successful, though it’s hard to forget the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. This occurred in 1986 and caused the loss of seven lives. This was also the year of the first untethered space walk. Other historic technological advancements included cable television, VCRs, CDs, video game consoles, and so on. Nintendo released Super Mario Bros. which made up for the lack of enthusiasm with the original Super Mario earlier in the decade. The first Apple computer came on the market and the rest was history.

There’s no doubt that the ’80s was an important and instrumental decade for those who experienced it. We are able to have just a small taste of this incredible time watching TV shows like ‘The Goldbergs’, ‘Young Sheldon’, and ‘Stranger Things’ which all pay tribute to the ’80s. The music of that era is genuinely enjoyed today. While we can’t literally bring the ’80s back, it is no question that the decade will never be forgotten and never put on an old shelf.

 

Written by: Hayley Lundberg

Hayley is a Senior majoring in Strategic Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. She enjoys working with her Student Activities family and is very grateful for the opportunity to be apart of such a creative team who truly cares about the students of Liberty. The blog in particular has been a great outlet for her to share with others!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been big into any fandoms or franchises. Sure, I’ve read the Harry Potter books and know my house, but I couldn’t tell you the names of some of the lesser characters. I’ve only read the Hobbit from the Lord of the Rings books, only read the first Percy Jackson, I chuckle at jokes about Disney adults, and I’ve seen Marvel movies here and there. I might get some heat for this one, but the only Star Wars movie I’ve seen is Rogue One. (I was rather confused because I spent the first half of the movie thinking Storm Troopers were good and wondering if this was one of those movies where we were supposed to be rooting for the bad guys.) So, yeah, other than the two months in 7^th grade that I ran a fan page for a Disney Channel band, I’ve never really been part of a fandom.

With that context, it’s safe to say I was rather surprised when Marvel Trivia night rolled around last semester. One of my tasks in the weeks leading up was to write the questions that would be asked. After a solid two days of searching Wikipedia, taking Buzzfeed quizzes, and scrolling through some obscure fan sites; I had my list of 75 questions ready to go…. Only for half of them to be changed because they were too easy. In the weeks leading up, I swore that the revised list of questions were way too hard; there was no way anyone would know such obscure information about these movies (especially about StanLee cameos).

I was very wrong.

I realized just how wrong I was while some staff members and I were grading the first round of answers. Not only were people getting 8-9 of the 10 questions in the round, but A LOT of people were getting 9 or even 10 right. We ended up having more than a few tie breakers that night.

But honestly, I’ve never been so glad to be wrong. It was so fun to watch people get so excited about something. The room was packed, people dressed up, they reacted to the different clips we played, they got excited when they figured out the answer to an extra hard question. It was such a cool experience to be in a room that had so much energy about one thing. A room where strangers became really united by their common interest. So before you make a tik tok mocking Disney adults or comment about people dressed up outside of movie theatres, try to be glad for this group of people that get to experience something that truly brings them joy. And I still might not be part of a fandom myself, but I have truly learned to appreciate them and the comradery they offer. May we all find our “Marvel”.

 

Written by: Courtney Stone

Courtney is a Business Administration: Digital Marketing and Advertising major. She enjoys writing for the blog as a way to explore relevant topics and grow in written communication.

In high school I had a friend who was great at New Year’s Resolutions. One year she gave up ice cream for a year, another time she gave up chocolate. For. A. Whole. Year. I don’t know about you, but I could never (maybe ice cream). Maybe you know someone like this; maybe you are this person; maybe you’ve given up your resolutions one too many times to try again. Wherever you fall on the spectrum here are some things (22 in particular) to do in this new year.

1. Reach out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. You could grab a cup of coffee or just send them a short text. I’m sure they’d love to hear from you.
2. Take a hike. Not in a “I’m being mean; take a hike” kind of way but in a “go on an actual hike” kind of way. The area has some great ones like Humpback Rock, MacAfee’s Knob, or Cole Mountain (if you haven’t already been with your hall).
3. Learn to make a good meal. Cereal and eggs are great but find a recipe that sounds good and learn to make it! No more toast for dinner!
4. Write someone a letter. People love getting letters! Bonus points if you actually send it through the postal system.
5. Read a book each month. If this is chump change for you, good job! If not, find a genre you like, get some recommendations, and get reading.
6. Try a new sport. Pickleball, slacklining, kickboxing, windsurfing. Find a sport that sound interesting, some friends to do it with, and give it a go. Maybe we’ll see you in the Olympics someday.
7. Experience live music. There is no better time to see live music than in college. Especially at Liberty, most shows are either free or super affordable. The energy created by a full on concert or even a little street band is something truly special.
8. Dress in a different aesthetic. Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to change your whole closet, just your outfit for a day. You can even do it with a group. My freshman year, my hall all dressed up as e-girls and went to Convocation. We were only like 60% embarrassed.
9. Have a PowerPoint night. Grab a group of friends and have everyone come prepared with a random topic to present on.
10. Go thrifting or antiquing. A sustainable way to find some really interesting stuff!
11. Not for CSER, or because you have to. Just find someone in need and lend a hand when you can. Or volunteer for a Vacation Bible School this Summer – they always need help.
12. Watch the sunset from a rooftop. Or the top of the Runk & Pratt… I’ll let you choose.
13. Go on a picnic. You can go full on picnic with this one – checked blanket, wicker basket, and all. Or, you can just grab some food and eat outside on a nice day.
14. Go through everything you own. Figure out what you need to donate, trash, or find a new spot for.
15. Give something up. A fast if you will. This post is all about doing, so why not let one of the points be a lack of doing. Give up social media for a week, go vegan for a month, or quit your bad habit of chewing your fingernails.
16. Be it a day trip or tropical vacation. Go see someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Be a tourist of your own city. This is a fun one! Go to all the touristy things you’d never usually go to, take those cheesy pictures , maybe even by a t-shirt or keychain. You might just gain some newfound appreciation for your home town.
18. Go to a drive in. Whether it’s one of Student Activities’ or one in a big grassy field. Enjoy a cinematic experience from the comfort of your own car. I recommend bringing pillows and snacks as well, but those are optional.
19. I don’t journal daily or even weekly, but when something big happens or you want to remember things you are thankful for, write them down. It will be cool to look back at the year and see what God has done.
20. Do something artistic. It’s okay if it’s not your thing, but just for one day: paint a picture, write a poem, make a friendship bracelet, come up with a new TikTok transition idea… whatever floats your boat.
21. Host an event. Put some work into it! Plan something like a dinner party, a brunch, a birthday party; give it a theme if you want; and invite people to come and celebrate: just for fun!
22. Amongst all the doing, don’t forget to take time and just be.

Happy 2022 everyone! Even if you don’t do everything on this list, I hope it has given you some fun ideas or inspiration to make some memories this coming year. Let’s make it a great one!

 

Written by: Courtney Stone

Courtney is a Business Administration: Digital Marketing and Advertising major. She enjoys writing for the blog as a way to explore relevant topics and grow in written communication.

When my grandfather was about my age, he and a friend went fishing one morning in July. He lived on a lake in Minnesota, so this was a pretty common occurrence. However, on this particular morning one thing was different, they brought an AM/FM radio onto the boat. On a normal morning, fishing is done in silence, but this was not a normal morning. The date was July 16, 1969, and 1,800 miles away we launched Apollo 11 on a journey that would go down as one of mankind’s greatest achievements. I had a chance to ask my grandfather about that experience, and he quietly remarked that even through a little FM radio, he felt the gravity of that moment. After telling me about the broadcast of Apollo 11, he said something that keeps repeating in my head. Between my grandfather and his father, they have witnessed all major advancements in air and space travel. His father was one year old when the Wright brothers flew their first airplane. I am not sure why that feels so significant but there is a strange amount of perspective when you realize that the first flight and the first man on the moon, were only 65 years apart.

After Apollo 11 it was only 7 years before we had probes on Mars, and 6 years after that in 1983 we completed our first space shuttle. In 1990 we launched the Hubble Telescope which allowed us to see deeper into space than ever before. This was followed by 10 years of growth and developments in space travel, until the early 2000’s where we started to wind down on space exploration. Now we live in a time where Space X, Amazon, and other massive companies are fixated on travelling to space. In a few days we will have a new update to this list as the James Webb Space Telescope launches, and will allow us to see even further than before.

This drive to voyage beyond where man has ever been has undoubtedly led to some of the most iconic and passionate music ever created. From “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, to “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, Space exploration has provided great metaphors and rich symbolism for artists to express the human experience and the need to do more. Only 8 years after the launch of Apollo 11, millions of Americans flooded theaters to see the story of a poor farmer who found himself in a galactic battle between good and evil. This was followed by decades of inspired story telling with the Star Trek saga, Halo, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, Rick and Morty, Dr. Who and much much more.

This drive is what lead George Lucas to create an immersive space battle using models and forced perspective. It’s what lead Christopher Nolan to let actual NASA scientists write parts of his script. And it’s what propelled Rian Johnson to create an aggressively mediocre sequel to The Force Awakens.

These stories take place away from earth and are devoid of due dates, petty drama, awkward texts, broken phone chargers, and day to day annoyances. They allow for characters to test themselves, push into the unknown, and peel into the core of what it truly means to be human. Fables set in galaxies far far away are somehow personal and prolific despite the fact that the characters face challenges we never face, and hardships we’ll never know. It is this resilience and drive that we, along with 7,000 of you, are going to celebrate and dedicate an entire evening to.

This Spring, Coffeehouse is on March 26^th, at 11:30PM. The theme this year is “The Great Beyond”. We are asking the student body to practice, tryout, make videos, and eventually perform in front of thousands of people. Each performance will take inspiration from the achievements and stories told in space.  While the responsibility to perform may not be as grand as that of the head engineers at Space X, it’s still grand. And if it’s your first time stepping onto that stage, it can feel a bit like stepping onto the moon for the first time. If you are up to the challenge, we’d love to see you at tryouts on February 21^st, 22^nd, 24^th, 26^th, and 28^th.

If you have gotten this far and still wonder why we chose this theme for Coffeehouse, just go ask your grandparents what it was like to look up on July 16^th, 1969.

 

Written by: Cort Comfort – Director of Student Activities

Coming into this semester I was filled with excitement. This semester began with a lot of change and a lot of new beginnings; it was my first semester off campus, my first semester of junior year, and my first semester working for Student Activities. I would describe myself as someone who is always down to try new things and to do things that make me uncomfortable. I love having the freedom to say, in the words of one of my best friends Kate, “LET’S DO IT.” As new and exciting as the thought of applying to work for Student Activities at the end of last semester was, it definitely did not take a lot of convincing and was probably one of the easiest decisions that I have made since coming to Liberty. Now you might ask why this decision was so easy for me to make. I mean SA is just another job I could have worked anywhere, why work for this campus organization? Allow me to take you all back to my freshman year at Liberty.

I remember driving onto campus move in day and knowing I had made the right choice in coming to Liberty. As my car was surrounded by CGL’s and everything I owned loaded into red bins, this school quickly began to feel like home. As I met my roommate upstairs in our room on Emerson Hall (shoutout) and we started to unpack we simultaneously began planning everything we wanted to do during welcome week and the first things on our list included an outdoor mic on the lawn and movie night on the commons lawn.

This night of welcome week holds one of my favorite memories of my freshman year. My roommate and I had met a few girls on our hall, and we all decided to go down and watch the movie together. We all walked down together, six girls who had just met three days before but felt like sisters in such a short amount of time. I honestly don’t remember the movie that was on that night, I think it may have been Aladdin but I wouldn’t bet my life on it, but what I do remember was laughing until we cried and smiling so much that by the end of the night my face hurt.

This was one of those nights when you look at the people around you and you just know, these people are going to always be a part of my life and so far that has been all too true. These girls continue to be some of my best friends at Liberty and just in life. One of the girls there that night got married this summer and all of us were in her wedding! (whoop whoop! give it up for the Baldwins!) Now, every Tuesday night the Baldwins host family dinner for all of their friends and when the craziness of this life slows down, sometimes you will see all of us there and we get to reminisce on those girls from freshman year.

This is just one memory that I have over the last two and a half years that are attached to an SA event that helped lay the groundwork for the beginning of some of the best friendships I have ever had. This is what drew me to work for Student Activities. Being able to be a part of creating a space where friendships can be formed, memories can be made, and community can be found. Student Activities has given me some of the sweetest memories and has always made me feel so welcomed and at home. I can only hope that I can play a small part in being for someone else what Student Activities has been for me in my life.

 

Written by: Elisabeth Hardy

Elisabeth is a Psychology Counseling major with minors in Biblical Studies and Youth Ministry. She is passionate about using opportunities to show the creativity of God and His presence! She loves writing for the blog as a way to express herself and be creative about things that are fun and relevant.

The stage was set. The acts were ready. The decorations had been painted and placed. The crowd awaited a fun and festive show. Upcoming finals were forgotten as students found their seats for Christmas Coffeehouse: 25 Days of Christmas.  

One performer had been ready for years. She spent weeks learning choreography, days anticipating the performance, and hours getting ready. Her act ran through sound check then ran around the Vines Center taking pictures at the different Christmas scenes. She was trying to soak everything in before the show began.

Eventually the show started. She watched each performance in awe of the student talent. She knew she was one of those students, but still was wowed by the other acts. Her time to perform came and went, and the rest of the show flew by. To her, Coffeehouse was about performing.

In those first few moments when the lights came up and the host appeared, she forgot the noise of the crowd and the nervous excitement of her own mind. She listened to the introduction, laughed at the jokes, and thought, “Now THAT would be a fun job.”

Christmas Coffeehouse 2019 was a night to remember. Preparations for Spring 2020 were cut short as the rest of the world came to a halt. With her time as an act being over and Christmas Coffeehouse: Winter Wonderland being virtual, she thought she would never again get to feel the thrill of being with the Coffeehouse crowd. She felt lost.

Luckily the next year came with new beginnings, as is true with most things. Although at limited capacity, Coffeehouse was back in person! And she was part of it! In a different way than she ever imagined – now a behind the scenes role – but still ecstatic to be involved.

The painting, planning, and pre-show setup were just as exciting as anything else. Coffeehouse: The Late Show was everything she wanted it to be and more. Her new neon shirt and position on the team gave new meaning to the event, and it was just as special. She saw all the students experience the same magic that she had at her very first show. She witnessed her coworkers get groovy while guarding the gates. This time, Coffeehouse was about the people.

Now she experienced the show in yet another way at Christmas Coffeehouse: Merry & Bright. This time was even more exciting than the last, and just as satisfying. She looked in the mirror, took a deep breath, and grabbed her cards before walking to the wings.

With a microphone in hand, she took the stage once again. This time, with her biggest task yet: host. Waiting for the lights to come up, she took one steadying inhale and thought back to her first time on this stage. With the exhale, she released any worries and placed the show in the hands of the crowd. The night ended in success and joy for everyone. Now, she knew Coffeehouse was about purpose.

Moments like these are a “blink and you miss it” type of memory. Full-circle stories are always beautiful journeys, and this one is mine. There are many roles to play in life. We don’t always get cast in the one we want or expect, but it is up to us to make it count. There will always be times when there does not seem to be a point to all the lows, but if you persevere long enough, you will reach the highs. Things always have a way of working out exactly how they’re supposed to in the end.

 

Written by: Anna Pender

Anna is a Senior Strategic Communications major. She is thankful to have the opportunity to write for the blog because it gives her a chance to explore and write about topics and events that she is passionate about and that are relevant to the world. She loves getting to be creative and share her personality through writing.

What have I learned at Student Activities? When I think about this question, my mind is filled with so many thoughts and feelings. Student Activities is an answered prayer. The job itself was not the prayer, although I do love my job. While I thought I had gotten a job that would help fill my time, give me a little extra money, and some experience, what I really got was an everyday reminder that God is good and kind to His children. I got coworkers who feel a lot more like family.

When I first came to Liberty, I struggled to find true community. I came from across the country and constantly felt out of place, everything was unfamiliar. There were so many people to meet, I didn’t even know where to start to have genuine community. I was looking for people who looked, sounded, and thought just like I did, because I had never known any different. We gravitate so quickly towards people who have similar interests, taste in music or style, or come from the same place as us. When we do this, we so quickly overlook the opportunity to find community and unity through our differences. We tend to think that community is defined by having something in common. But really, being in a community with others is the conscious choice to walk with others through good and bad, despite your similarities and differences.

I wanted to work at Student Activities so that I could be a part of events where people could come and find community in a fun and comfortable place. What I didn’t expect was that I would find my own community and sense of belonging within my job. What surprised me most when I started working at SA was how different all my coworkers were, yet how much we had in common. Attending events and coffee promos, the staff seemed to all be very similar – bright, outgoing, and friendly. This is certainly true; I work with some of the kindest people I’ve met. While the SA staff have many similar characteristics, each person is unique in many ways as well. We have very different majors and dreams for our future, have different music tastes, and come from all over the country. While I was surrounded by coworkers who were all unique, we had one thing in common, the goal of making people feel welcomed and cared for when they were at our events. I was quickly amazed by every one of the people that I was surrounded by and in awe of the way that God had given each of us unique passions, gifts, experiences, and dreams. Each time we are together, I am continually encouraged and strengthened by the gifts and wisdom of my coworkers. The community that we have as coworkers is stronger because each of bring something different to the table. We are all different, yet somehow, by God’s grace, where I didn’t expect to find it – I found lifelong friends and great joy.

As I said at the beginning, I love my job at Student Activities, a lot. Working at Student Activities is a lot of fun, we get to be at a lot of fun events and talk with students, but not every part of the job is glamorous though. We also stack a lot of chairs, fold tables, build sets for Coffeehouse, and clean. While these things are not inherently fun, I cannot help but find so much in doing these mundane tasks. Why? It is because of the people that I am doing it with. I know it sounds cheesy. But in the last few years at Liberty, I have learned that we all must do things in life that we would rather not. Instead of wasting those moments of my life and looking back on them with dread, I would rather appreciate the gift that God has given me to know these people at all. Every moment is an opportunity for growth. Psalm 118:24 says, “Today is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Our rejoicing does not come from the fact that our circumstances are good, but from the fact that God Himself is good. I encourage you to rejoice in where God has you today because He has put you there. Life is a gift, and the Giver is good.

Whether your circumstances are what you always dreamed they would be, or you find yourself wishing for more, there is purpose in where you are. I have learned so much about the Lord, myself, and the world because of the strengths and gifts of the people that God has allowed me to work alongside. If you find yourself struggling right now to be content and build community, look to the people around you. Look for people who have a different perspective, strengths, and passions, who you can encourage while they encourage you. I found myself in that very place not too long ago, and God did immeasurably more than I could have asked or imagined. I know that He can do it for you to.

 

Written by: Sarah Day

Sarah is a junior majoring in Youth Ministry. Sarah enjoys writing for the blog because she loves exploring the ways that the simplest things in our lives impact us in the most meaningful ways. She is passionate about connecting with people, talking about what truly matters and baking.