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

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

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

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

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

 

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.

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.

On this week’s podcast we chatted with LU Alum and Marketing Coordinator for Downtown Lynchburg Association, James Ford. We talked about his time as a student here at Liberty, his career and life move to Arkansas, and his return to Lynchburg. He offers insight into what is happening downtown and his role at the Downtown Lynchburg Association, as well as some of his favorite things to do around town. We had a blast learning more about our friend and are sure you’ll enjoy the listen!

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

When we started this school year, we did so with great anticipation and excitement for what was to come with fall events. And we still feel that way – running events has given us so much life. But if we’ve learned anything over the last six months, it’s that there is a lot of unknown and tough decisions to be made in order to keep people safe. The health, well-being, and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and campus guests are our utmost priority during this unprecedented time. For this reason, we feel that the COVID-19 situation has not changed enough for us to properly host our concerts in the spaces we have available to us.

What does this mean for each show and ticket holder?

Skillet feat. Ledger on Sept. 25 has been canceled. All ticket holders to the show will be emailed details regarding a refund for your ticket(s).

The Devil Wears Prada feat. My Epic on Oct. 16 has been canceled. All ticket holders to the show will be emailed details regarding a refund for your ticket(s).

John Mark McMilllan feat. John Mark Pantana on Nov. 13 is being rescheduled for the spring. A new date will be announced in the coming weeks. All ticket holders to the show will be emailed details regarding the option to hold on to your ticket or request a refund. Ticket sales will be suspended until a new date is announced.

All ticket holders will be emailed within the next 48-72 hours. Due to the high volume of refunds, please allow 10-14 business days for those to process. If you do not receive a refund after this time, email tickets@liberty.edu.

Thank you for understanding and your patience in the matter. We are looking forward to the day this is all behind us! For now, we’ll continue to bring you great events that are safe and allow adequate distance for our guests.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Written by Madelyn Mauck

Madelyn is a Senior studying Business Administration: Project Management. She enjoys writing for the blog, not only because it helps her develop as a creative writer, but because it gives her a chance to share her experiences through a platform she would not have without Student Activities.