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When we hear the word conflict, often we think of the outburst of opinions colliding with others and causing hurt. Social media and entertainment have done a great job of painting us this beautiful picture of the perfect friendships that never disagree. Both parties see the heart behind the decision, and everyone gets along. Sadly, it is rarely like that in real life. This constant butting heads with others has been going on since the beginning of time.

Imagine if everyone just saw eye to eye, and we could all work towards one common goal. We could change the world; and who wouldn’t want that? It’s a beautiful idea, but one thing stands in the way… we all disagree on something.

The Bible shows us the brokenness of mankind through the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. These two brothers fought over what was the proper sacrifice to offer God. Looking back, we can see which one was right, but often when we are in the middle of conflict, we can be more like Cain and Abel that we want to admit. 2021 has already done a great job of showing us that people do not know how to live with someone they disagree with, whether it is political views, a bad roommate, or even something as silly as where to go get food.

With tensions constantly rising, and disputes often reaching a boiling point, universities have started to offer degrees in conflict resolution. Pepperdine University even offers a “Master’s in Dispute Resolution”. Pepperdine stated, “Conflict is pervasive in our communities, yet the competency to manage conflict is rare. Conflict resolution skills are needed to be competitive in our rapidly changing, technologically complex business world”.

The truth is, maneuvering conflict successfully is rare, but why? What if that didn’t have to consume us and we could just find a way to get along? Clarke University has a page dedicated to managing conflict. A few of their many tips include, “accept conflict, listen actively, analyze the conflict, separate person from the problem, and be specific”.

Conflict should be a good thing, and it shouldn’t always have to end in angry fallout. Navigating conflict correctly starts with listening to the other person, and recognizing they worked up the courage to bring up a problem that has been bothering them. Simply separating a person from the problem will start you off on the right step. When someone tells you something that might upset you, stop and take a breath. It is important to understand the heart behind their statement.

If you have to confront someone about a problem that may be hard for them to hear or receive, make sure to deliver it in a way that doesn’t accuse the other person. If the person thinks you are accusing them of the problem, you have already defeated your purpose of the conversation. The person will most likely be defensive and any discussion beyond this point could be detrimental to the relationship. If your end goal is to be right, you need to stop and pause for a minute. The goal of conflict is not to be right, but to make peace and grow in unity with the other person.

If a problem is voiced to you, stop and process it. Take a moment to think before speaking, because most of the time we respond from our emotions and completely miss what the person is really saying. Responding from emotion without taking a moment to think can create problems, and will eventually shutdown the other person from ever wanting to open up to share when something is bothering them or worse, they will just leave. The Bible states in Provers 15:1 says, “a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”. When things stay civil it will open up opportunity to understand the real problem.

Try to keep things calm and never raise your voice. Try to reply with statements that show you are not hostile, but want to work towards a solution. Ask helpful questions and add helpful input in the conversation that does not target or tear down the other person. Remember, no one is perfect, and sometimes we have to swallow our pride in a moment to protect what could be a lifelong friendship.

Lastly, when an issue initially arises, there is usually more to the situation that meets the eye, and it is our job to make sure we give every person a chance to share their heart completely. In Matthew 18:15 it states, “if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother”. You do not gain a brother or sister by winning every fight, but by hearing what they have to say. If we are honest, we all just want to be understood, and when we listen to others, we show them they are worth being listened too. When we work through these problems that appear in our relationships, we grow as individuals.

The next time you find yourself in a dispute with a friend or with your significant other, try to hear them out while remembering the end goal is to show them love and understanding. God constantly shows us grace and love, and as Christians, we should strive reflect that grace and love to others in our lives.

References:

“Master’s in Dispute Resolution (MDR).”, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law.

“Tips for Managing Conflict“, Clarke University. 

 

Written by Riley Anderson

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

As a part of the Every Square Inch Conference, singer/songwriter Chris Renzema will be making his return to Liberty University, this time as a headliner. The last time we saw him, Renzema opened for The Gray Havens as part of the same conference back in 2019. Since then, he has picked up quite a bit of traction in the music industry, especially among younger believers, boasting over 800,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Renzema originally found his love and skill for music in church. He started independently publishing and releasing music in 2014 with his debut EP, Age To Age. The artist is now signed with Centricity Music, and released his second full length studio album, Let The Ground Rest, in April 2020.

When reflecting on the album, Chris said, “This is a record about having faith in barrenness, patience in pain, and ultimately hope for a better tomorrow when your heart feels too tired to go on. I definitely didn’t plan for this project to come out in such a tough time, but I’m not upset that it did – because if what I know about God is true, then I know there is always a reason to have hope. And these songs are all about hope.”

His largely acoustic sound paired with raw, genuine lyrics keep him from being lumped in with large worship bands or Christian pop artists, thus making his style truly unique. Although his songs are certainly worshipful, he combines elements from folk, pop, and indie music to differentiate his art from the blanket genre of contemporary Christian music. Many of his songs like “How To Be Yours” and “Springtime” reflect the hearts of many believers in both the beauty and trials that come with faith in God.

We look forward to hearing these songs and more on March 5th!

References:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_XYCg7BYUI/

 

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 March of 2020, the world was turned upside down. I know you’ve probably heard that a million times, and despite the common difficulty we all navigated, each of us has a unique 2020 story we will never forget.

We all remember how it felt when the world first started shutting down, how it felt to be stuck inside with our family or roommates, the impending fear of a two-week vacation turning into months away from work, friends, and a normal routine. The world was filled with so much separation and loneliness that was so much deeper than we had ever experienced. During the lockdown, I, like many others was separated from my boyfriend of just a few months (spoiler alert: he’s now my fiancé, but we’ll get to that later).

At the start of quarantine, I was terrified of long distance. There was no necessary attachment. Heck, we’d only been together for 3 months! If things got hard, we would most likely break things off and take the long months of quarantine to recover. For many couples, this was the reality. Things got hard, physical distance created emotional distance, and breaking things off was the wisest and easiest option. I was not going to let this happen. Long distance ended up being one of the most challenging and fruitful experiences of my life.

When dating in person, it’s easy to get swept up into the dreaminess and excitement of being with each other. However, in long distance, a lot of the fluffy emotions are taken away, allowing you to see the true character and intentions of the other.

Author, Joe Pinsker, collected research findings and was able to share some wise guidelines to navigating long distance:

1. Communicate over a variety of platforms to make up for the constraints of each (and write letters, which can serve as nice physical reminders of the relationship).
2. Come up with a plan for how and when to have hard conversations.
3. Share small, mundane details and, when possible, everyday experiences, such as streaming a movie together.
4. Make time for both routine check-ins and spontaneous conversations.
5. Remember that living together might be an adjustment.

As soon as we stepped into long distance. My boyfriend and I started cooking up creative ways to express love despite a thousand miles of separation. We ended up sending dozens of letters, packages, and gifts. We perfected starting our movies on Netflix at the exact same time, even taking into consideration the FaceTime lag. We navigated hard discussions and arguments through phone calls and thorough conversations.

One thing we did differently than most is not having nightly FaceTime calls. Despite the countless tweets romanticizing falling asleep on FaceTime, we kept these face-to-face calls as our “date nights”. Limiting ourselves to only one FaceTime every few days, we were able to prioritize those few hours, and intentionally plan out conversations and activities for that time. We discovered our Hogwarts houses through Buzzfeed quizzes, shared childhood stories, and compared theological views. Over quarantine, we learned so much about how the other thought and operated.

Five months later, we were back on campus, together. Long distance was over, and I was nervous. I was flooded with insecurities of not living up to the idealized version of the girl in his phone he had fallen in love with. However, I was quickly relieved by a smooth transition.

While we were very different people coming back onto campus in the Fall of 2020, we were also a very different couple. Distance allowed for such expedited growth. We were able to navigate most areas of compatibility through our phone calls and late-night texts, allowing us to be reunited by a lot of attachment and vested interest.

Upon our reunion, we quickly realized things were getting very serious. The long-distance phone calls filled with daydreams, and hoping we had found the one, quickly morphed into objective conversations about marriage and life goals.

In November of 2020, he asked me to marry him, and I joined the flood of teary-eyed, engaged women, in your Instagram feed.

Do not get me wrong, long distance was hard. I would never choose to do it again, but I am beyond grateful for how we were able to handle and manage the situation for what it was. While it’s not for everyone, I believe there’s a way to navigate long distance through thorough, intentional, and healthy communication that results in a sustainable growing relationship upon reunion.

For those working through a long distance relationship, or about to start one, I would love to leave you with a few parting bits of advice.

1. Plan virtual date nights.
2. Brainstorm creative ways to communicate (i.e., letters, deliveries, LinkedIn DMs).
3. Focus on your autonomy.
4. Hard conversations over text almost always involve miscommunication, call instead.
5. Use your time wisely! Get to know the other person through online quizzes or conversation starter questions.

To all of my long-distance friends, enjoy every FaceTime, 8 ball tournament, and Netflix party date. In the end, through many tears and lonely nights, you’ll find distance really does make the heart grow fonder.

References:
https://bedbible.com/long-distance-relationship-statistics/

 

Written by: Lisa Diaczynsky

Lisa is a Junior studying Business Administration and Graphic Design. She enjoys writing for the blog to express her creativity as well as sharing her views and opinions. She is passionate about healthy relationships, graphic design, social/political reform and mental health.

AMC theatres has been the talk of the town due to the stock market, but many of us haven’t even been into an AMC theatre in almost an entire year now. The smell of popcorn butter, the taste of the soda, and the pain in your wallet from buying all those over-priced concessions are all experiences we long for. But while theatres are mostly still not open, you can experience the magic of cinema at Student Activities’ Film Fest, taking place on February 26^th in the LaHaye Event Space at 7 PM.

Ten original films will be screened and critiqued by a panel of judges who will award a plethora of awards to the films that they believe capture the best of our award categories. This year, even the audience can get in on the action by voting in the audience choice award. Now it’s not just Paula, Simon, and Randy voting, but you can have a say as well (hopefully that reference brought back some memories for you).

Following the movie screening, there will be a Q&A time with the film directors, allowing audience members the chance to ask about inspiration, behind the scenes, and any other questions they can conjure. Throughout all of the films, Student Activities will be serving out our campus-famous complimentary hors d’oeuvres for your convenience.

Our capacity for the event is 250 guests, so while camping outside of the venue like people do for Marvel’s Avengers movies may not be necessary, you may want to get there sooner rather than later. The whole event is expected to last around 2 hours; 10 films in 2 hours is a blockbuster of a deal.

Could one of these film director’s be making the movies we see on the big screen some day? I wouldn’t want to risk missing out on liking it before it was popular if I were you. Please silence your cellphones and enjoy the films.

 

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.

Does the search for the meaning of life have a place in the genre of children’s entertainment? Disney Pixar’s new animated movie, Soul, tackles the weight of finding one’s purpose while engaging audiences of all ages.

When we take a closer look at the “golden age” of Pixar, including famous titles such as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story, we find captivating classics that seem relatable despite their setting being incredibly unrealistic to the viewer. What sets most of Pixar’s films apart are the common themes they portray.

Pixar often focuses on family dynamics, and personal identity struggles. In their recent releases however, we see these relatable themes taking a deeper turn, through an incredibly realistic set of characters. In films such as Inside Out, Up, and Coco, the creators show us a wider view into the common lives of the characters. We see how real their situations are, and even begin to put ourselves into their shoes. This allows Pixar to tackle bigger themes and questions in their films.

In Soul, the creators approach the question that many struggle to answer, what is my purpose in life?  Soul follows the main character, Joe, as he chases endlessly after his dream of being a jazz artist. Through a series of misfortunate events, we watch as Joe travels between Earth, “The Great Beyond”, and “The Great Before”. The latter two being embodiments of “heaven”. “The Great Before” is where souls are created, given passions, and sent to earth, while “The Great Beyond” is Pixar’s portrayal of an afterlife.

While this film does approach many difficult topics, making it difficult for younger viewers to remain interested, it does create a beautiful world filled with many intriguing landscapes and characters that could retain the attention of a younger crowd. I would argue, however, that Soul was indented for an adult audience. Many of the situations, emotions, and difficulties pictured throughout the story hit very close to home for many older viewers.

As a young adult, I personally related to the pursuit of finding my “purpose”. During this time, it’s easy to fall into a cycle of nerves and anxiety for what the future holds. We often put so much pressure on achieving specific goals or milestones, that we can be left dissatisfied when we finally reach that point. Soul takes a lot of pressure off of finding one fulfilling meaning to life, while the ending even leaves a lot of missing pieces for the viewer to fill in. As we watch the main characters discovering their identity, we never get the satisfaction of knowing their answer. While this may bother some viewers, who enjoy a clean-cut ending, I thought it fit the nature of the film perfectly. It encourages the viewer to release the importance of achieving a specific calling or major goal, and to find your passions by enjoying each facet and avenue of life.

What is important to consider in this piece is how it should influence us as followers of Christ. For non-believers it can be easy to fall into a rut, trying to find some magical moment in life that would make everything worth it. However, chasing after the passions of this world will leave us with nothing but disappointment and want. As Christians, we are given freedom! Freedom from anxiety, confusion, and emptiness. We are no longer lost on a spiral of self-fulfillment. Instead, we are given an established hope and calling through Christ that provides clarity and structure to an otherwise meaningless world.

It breaks my heart to see so many of my unsaved friends trying anything and everything to feel some sort of fulfillment. They spend so much time searching for an answer that can only be satisfied through a relationship with Jesus. While these pursuits may result is temporary highs, they often find themselves lonely, confused, and scared of the future when left alone with their thoughts.

When watching Soul, I was reminded of the hope found in Christ. In the movie, one of the main characters, “22” is trying to find her “spark”. The spark is what motivates a soul. It is the underlying passion that completes the very being of an individual. As Christians, our spark is the Gospel. We are so motivated by Jesus’s sacrifice that it influences our very being inside and out.

Overall, I thought Soul was incredibly entertaining and captivating. It captured many real, raw, emotions and concerns we face day to day, while maintaining a motivating and upbeat attitude that is appropriate for younger viewers.

 

Written by: Lisa Diaczynsky

Lisa is a Junior studying Business Administration and Graphic Design. She enjoys writing for the blog to express her creativity as well as sharing her views and opinions. She is passionate about healthy relationships, graphic design, social/political reform and mental health.

The spring semester is finally in motion, and with that we have a jam packed calendar of events for you and your friends to enjoy. From the classics like Open Mic and Coffeehouse, to exciting new events like… Well, give the episode a listen for details on these new events!

This podcast features Steph Ward (Director of SA), Drew Snavely (Assistant Director), and Kaitlyn Skarstein (Special Events Coordinator). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Special Events Coordinator). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.

Worship before sermons is meant to exalt Christ, magnify the holiness behind who God is and what He has done, and get us into a fixation of seeking more of the Great I Am – more knowledge, more intimacy, more depth. But for some, these miniature concerts of praise serve to be more of a frustration than an exaltation. It seems like everyone around me is experiencing something that I am not, as if they are all part of some inside joke while I sit in regret because I was not in the room when it happened. Faith and worship are never meant to be comparison games but my fear of missing out plagues my mind.

I could just as easily close my eyes and ignore the world around me but with a mind that is constantly racing, and a brain that does not know the lyrics to the song, worship services serve as a discouraging time before a sermon. Even when I have the words of a worship song memorized, I still struggle with fixating on the Father and letting out acclamations of praise, because of a perceived lack of genuine sincerity behind my words.

There is an agreement with the words being said (so long as they are true), and I do believe that God hears me when I say them, for He has afforded me an audience with the King through His death, burial, and resurrection. Due to my numbness while everyone else seems to experience fullness, it feels like I am typing out a text but it is not sending. I’m not overcome with emotions when I worship, and when I pray I feel practically no comfort. Bluntly, it feels like I am talking to absolutely no one, just verbally processing my requests.

Faith is intimate and personal, and yet for me it is very monotonous, almost forced, and lacking in feeling. This stands in direct opposition to how I am in most areas of my life – I once cried for seven minutes in a staff meeting when finding out that Drew and Ellie Holcomb would be coming to perform a concert. When infatuated with a girl, I tend to get bubbly at the very idea of seeing her. The very thought of Chicago’s cuisine fills me with awe. But for some reason, singing songs of worship and praying do not stir up a storm of emotions within me. It seems to actually make me a neutral colored concrete sculpture rather than an expressive Picasso.

It was not always like this. After becoming a Christian my sophomore year of high school, the presence of the Father seemed surreal. I adamantly enjoyed listening to sermons, worshipping, and reading my Bible because it all felt so real and present. This immense love continued through summer camps and into college. Although I was actively in the Word daily, life happened, experiences did not live up to expectations, and things I once thoroughly enjoyed now became stale. I have caught glimpses of my former emotions like revisiting an old friend, but it always seems like the movie ends and the Spirit stops pouring out – back to the monotony.

Some would say that my lack of feelings in my faith but an abundance of feelings towards worldly things in my life would mean that I am some sort of idolatrous pagan. The trouble with that is I believe the Gospel, recognize the truth of scripture, and strive to keep the commandments, because I am loved and afforded unmerited grace rather than to earn love or grace. I have appreciation for temporary “worldly” things just as much as the next guy in the pew, but having feelings in one area of my life while lacking feelings towards another thing does not necessarily mean that I have an idol in place of the One who is truly worthy.

My deepest desire is to feel in my faith. Nothing would make me happier than a real-feeling embrace of the invisible God. Tears running down my face in awe as I go through yet another bridge of a worship song would be a welcomed experience. I would love for my emotions to back up the truths I am crying out. Wouldn’t it be nice to “let go and let God” during a worship service and feel what everyone else in the room is seemingly feeling?

The trouble with feelings is their subjectivity. Sure, the adrenaline of a moment may make it that much sweeter, but a reliance on feelings is dangerous because just as easily as an emotional high comes, it can go away. Our faith needs to not fluctuate with our hormones.

There came a point where agnostic and even atheistic ravings made a bit more sense to me than usual because of how monotonous my faith felt. Thankfully, I confessed this to my high school youth pastor, who was in town to officiate a wedding we were both attending. His guidance went along the lines of how there are days when he comes home to his wife and is just not feeling it. He had a rough day, the emotions aren’t as strong as they were when he first got married; it all just feels forced. But the thing is he loves her anyway, despite his lack of feelings in the moment. Why? Because he is in a covenant relationship with his wife.

The call that scripture gives him in Ephesians 5 is to love his wife “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” (verse 25). That call is not contingent upon whether or not he is feeling it in the moment; he is simply called to love her because he is in a covenant relationship with her.

As hard, and maybe even ungenuine, as it may feel to worship, trust, and love God even when there is no sensational feeling behind the faith, I am still called to love Him. My feelings do not dictate truth, God does. The reality of my salvation and the majesty of His Lordship does not fluctuate with my emotions. I am His child because of what He has done whether my feelings back that up or not.

Although it is frustrating to be seemingly missing out on some higher experience when worshipping, my salvation is not dependent on how robustly I can be emotionally moved, and God’s holiness is not diminished by my lack of feeling. He is the fullness of majesty even through my monotony. Thank God that my salvation is afforded by grace through faith and not by an abundance of emotion.

 

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.

February is a time for love. As Valentine’s Day approaches quickly, couples are wondering how to celebrate, singles are googling how to be happy on their own, and some people just want something fun to do with friends. Whatever your situation, we have something for you!

It may be 2021, but the trends of the nineties are stronger than ever. Scrunchies, tiny purses, and baggy clothes are all iconic staples of the time. What’s even more iconic? A cult-classic rom-com. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, there is no better way to celebrate than by joining us for a showing of Clueless. Follow Cher on her totally buggin’ yellow plaid journey to love starting at 7pm.

If the thought of watching a teenager fall in love makes you think, “Ugh! As if!” no worries. At 9pm, you can revel in the heartbreak of Laurie and Jo during 2019’s Little Women. Trading the 1990s for the 1860s, you will get to experience all the highs and lows of The March Family. The movie follows four sisters and their relationships with the world around them, their love interests, and most importantly each other.

It is a night that will be filled with nostalgia, sweet stories, and – for those of us who are masochists – heartbreak. We would love to see you at our Valentine’s Movie Night on Friday, February 12 at 7 p.m. in the LaHaye Event Space.

 

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.

Pickleball: one of the country’s fastest growing sports that isn’t just for old people. It also doesn’t have anything to do with pickles, despite the misleading name. You may have heard some misconceptions about this sport, so I am here to set a few of those straight. By the end of this, I can almost guarantee you’ll be at your nearest tennis court trying to pick up a game or two. This game can be played by middle schoolers, college students, middle-aged professionals, or even grandparents. No matter your age, athletic ability, or knowledge of pickleball, you can play this addicting game!

Pickleball is a mixture of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton that is played with two wood paddles and a wiffleball. Pickleball was all started in 1965 from 3 dads who were trying to create a fun activity for their sons in the midst of a hot Washington day. According to USA Pickleball, “They kept in mind the original purpose, which was to provide a game that the whole family could play together”.

The reason why it is named pickleball is still up for debate because there are two different stories for its funky name. Pickleball Portal states that one reason is one of the inventor’s, Joel Prichard, dog’s name was “Pickles”. The other reason is that Joel Prichard’s wife said it reminded her of a pickle boat from her rowing days. I guess it is up to you to decide which story you want to believe!

The rules are very simple to learn and easy to put into action. Pickle-ball Inc. states, “Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court: 20’ x 44.’ The ball is served diagonally (starting with the right-hand service-square), and points can only be scored by the side that serves. Players on each side must let the ball bounce once before volleys are allowed, and there is a seven-foot no-volley zone on each side of the net, to prevent ‘spiking.’ The server continues to serve, alternating service courts, until he or she faults. The first side scoring eleven points and leading by at least two points wins”.

Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles, it just depends on the amount of people you want to play with! As far as equipment, you only need a net, a ball, and some paddles. Some tennis courts might be taped off with Pickleball measurements, but if they aren’t you can always add your own!

USA Pickleball states that pickleball has had a 650 percent increase in numbers over the last six years. Will you contribute to that growth and join in one of the fastest growing sports in America? For more information on Pickleball rules and tips you can check out USA Pickleball. Can’t wait to see you on the court!

References:

https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/history-of-the-game/

https://www.pickleballportal.com/blog/pickleball-name-origin/

https://www.pickleball.com/rules-how-to-play-pickleball-s/106.htm

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.

With the start of the spring semester comes the excitement for the SA workshop series. We are bringing you guys five brand new workshops! You’ll be able to access two of these virtually through our IGTV. If you don’t follow us on Instagram yet and want to see these, you can follow us @libertysa. We will also be hosting three in-person workshops as well. Below is a little sneak peak of what to expect at these workshops, and what you can learn by participating in them.

Crepe Making

If you’re like me, crepes are one of those things I have always wanted to learn how to make, but are too intimidating for me to try. No need to fear anymore, since with this workshop, Chelsea, owner of Batter Bar, will show you how to make some amazing crepes and help put all those worries to rest. You can check this out on IGTV on February 11^th at 9 p.m. to watch while putting your culinary skills to the test!

Candle Pouring

Candle Pouring will be our first in-person workshop on February 25^th at 7 p.m. We’re partnering with Hill and River Collection candles to bring you this fun and aromatic time. Participants will get to take home two soy wax candles that you will make yourself! Registration opens on February 5^th and costs $10.

Floral Arranging

This workshop will teach you the basics to floral design, and you’ll get to design your own bouquet to take home. This will all be taught by the owner of the Hip Tulip and take place at 7 p.m. on March 11. You can register on February 19^th for $10!

Wood Carving

Our second virtual workshop will be with local wood carving enthusiast, Justin Smith, who will teach you how to make something you could use every day – a spoon! By watching this, you will learn the process of carving a wooden spoon from start to finish and how to do so safely. Tune in on April 15^th at 9 p.m. to participate!

Fly Tying

To wrap up the workshop series, we will be partnering with Taletellers Fly Shop to teach how to make two different fly ties which you will get to take home after the event. Our friends over at the Hydaway Outdoor Center will also be there to talk about the fishability of Hydaway Lake. You can register for this on April 2^nd!

We hope that you join us for a least one of these workshops this semester to pick up a new skill. For more information about each workshop, check out our website or email us with any questions.

 

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.