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On April 3^rd, Student Activities will be hosting a concert put on by none other than the band Skillet. Founded in 1996 by the lead singer John Cooper and guitarist Ken Steorts, the band quickly created waves initially within the Christian music world. Adding a couple more band members enabled Skillet to climb onto the Billboard Top 200 in 2001 with their song Alien Youth. Up until 2009, the band still had not made its big break throughout the secular music world, until their album Awake was released. Ever since, the band has won two Dove Awards for “Rock Song of the Year“ and their songs have been featured in movies such as “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” as well as the theme song of some NFL and WWE commercials. Their fame has not gone unnoticed in the secular music world, as they continue to be relevant over the years.

Hailed as a “Christian” band, Skillet has had to defend themselves in both Christian and secular circles for their faith simply based on the sound of their music. In an interview with CBN News, John Cooper made sure to emphasize that Skillet is indeed a Christian band whose sole focus is to honor Jesus. Their message within their songs are encouraging for Christians to be “bold in their faith” as well as to glorify the one Who created them. Cooper and the rest of the band are using their platform and talents to be an encouragement to Christians but also to be witnesses to those who do not believe.

Make sure to join us in welcoming Skillet feat. Ledger on April 3^rd as the last event in the Vines Center! This show is on sale now – click the Tickets drop down!

Sources

https://www.learnreligions.com/skillet-biography-709852

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/skillet-mn0000749571/biography

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/entertainment/2016/december/skillets-john-cooper-were-a-christian-band-rock-and-roll-is-not-about-sex-and-drugs

If you’re anything like me, soup is the last thought when it comes to answering, “what’s for dinner?” But let’s be honest, there is nothing quite like a nice bowl of hot soup when it’s cold and wet outside. Now I know, we have one foot out the door of winter, but Lynchburg has a way of playing with our heart strings when it comes to the changing of seasons. So, while part of me is still mourning the death of our snowless winter season, the other is not so sure spring is really right around the corner. What is more appropriate a meal for such a confusing time of transition than Tom Kha Gai, or coconut chicken soup? Tom Kha Gai is a traditional Thai soup that is as simple to make as it is flavorful. While a true Tom Kha Gai would have a few ingredients that I don’t have the time or resources to get my hands on, like kaffir lime leaves and galangal root, this supermarket version is no joke.

Okay, now let’s make some soup. Start by peeling your ginger – use a spoon and the rough skin should scuff right off. Crush the ginger and lemongrass to help get some more flavor out of it. Add ginger, lemongrass, and juice from one lime to your broth and let those simmer for about 10 minutes to get all that bright flavor in the broth. There might be some foam collecting on the top of your broth, if so, just scoop it out and carry on.

While the broth is simmering, cut your chicken and mushrooms. You’ll want the chicken as thin as you can cut it. I try to cut them into 2-3 inch ribbons. Make sure you’re cutting against the grain of the meat; otherwise, you’ll end up with stringy chicken in your soup. Mushrooms should be de-stemmed and cut into similar sized ribbons. Honestly, you can cut your proteins any which way you like, but this is just how you’ll find Tom Kha Gai in most restaurants, and it’s my personal preference.

Once the broth is done simmering, remove the ginger and lemongrass stocks. Add in chicken and mushrooms to the broth and let these cook at a simmer. This should take about 20 minutes to get the mushrooms to a good consistency. If you opt for a thicker cut of chicken and mushrooms, this may take longer.

After everything is cooked through, add in coconut milk, sugar, and a dash of fish sauce. If fish sauce scares you, don’t worry! I promise it’s not as overwhelming when it’s added to bigger ingredients; it’s just there to give the dish a little more depth. Return soup to desired temperature, and you’re ready to eat. Serve with cilantro, lime wedges, and hot chili oil for those of us who like to sweat when we eat.

All said and done, this soup will take about 45 minutes to prepare and is anything but boring. It’s the perfect soup for those days when the weather just can’t make up its mind because of its bright, light, and happy flavors.  This should make enough for about 5-6 healthy servings – depending on who you’re feeding – and costs just under $20.

Ingredients

Ginger – 1 1/2” piece peeled

Lemongrass – 2 stalks

Cilantro – 1/4 cup (for serving)

Hot Chili Oil – to taste (for serving)

Lime – 2 (one for serving)

Coconut Milk – 1 can (13.5 oz)

Fish Sauce – to taste

Chicken Broth – 6 cups

Chicken Thighs, boneless skinless – 2lbs

Shiitake Mushrooms – One cup, de-stemmed and sliced thinly

Live from Lynchburg, Virginia, it’s Coffeehouse: The Late Show! The theme in the spring semester always brings an original and exciting twist to Coffeehouse. Last year, we put on Coffeehouse: Where Dreams Come True which you, the students, really enjoyed. With each theme, we want to make sure we are offering something completely new, and we think Coffeehouse: The Late Show will give us just that.

Late-night television has been an iconic part of the American entertainment experience for the last 60 years. It was people like Ed Sullivan and Johnny Carson who helped pave the path for the lip-sync battles we enjoy, from Jimmy Fallon and the hilarious carpool karaoke sessions James Corden offers. There are other late-night shows like Saturday Night Live! which has made us fall out of our chair laughing while watching their “Celebrity Jeopardy” skit or listening to Christopher Walken demand more cowbell from a crop-top-wearing Will Ferrell. These shows have always held a special place in entertainment because of what they accomplish. Wherever we come from, we can sit down together to enjoy different skits, interviews, and other hilarious moments on these shows. One of the best parts of the talk shows are listening to the interviews with various celebrities who are invited on. These shows give us the opportunity to relate with a celebrity we may think is nothing like us. But just watch an interview with Emily Blunt talking about her children and husband, John Krasinski, and you will quickly see that these people are going through a lot of life’s issues just like anyone else. Our goal is to capture the excitement and glamour from all these different shows, whether the show be Johnny Carson, Conan, or SNL, the instant you walk through the doors.

At Student Activities, we love taking different parts of entertainment and culture and making them into a fun-filled time for students. Whether you’re familiar with late-night TV or not, we want you to come out to Coffeehouse: The Late Show on March 28 for a night filled with student performances, laughter, and much more!

 

Written by: Andrew Reynolds

Andrew 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.

For most college students, spring break is a time to escape all the exams and responsibilities, so you can focus on getting a good tan or making memories with your best friends. There is a lot of pressure put on us to make the most of our one week off, and I am writing this to help you along with the process and to hopefully alleviate some of the stress from planning this memorable week.

Here are three spring break ideas that are built to provide the time of your life:

Idea #1: Stay Local-ish

Even though most of us would rather not stay in the good-ole LYH, there are some great things to explore and do. First, you can take advantage of the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway right down the road from Liberty. There are numerous hikes to conquer: Sharp Top, Cole Mountain, Humpback Rocks, Spy rock, McAfee Knob, Mount Pleasant, and many others. Second, for all of you who love kombucha, you can visit Blue Ridge Bucha in Waynesboro, VA. This is a necessity for those who love the taste of this unique drink because of their on-tap kombucha and kombucha tastings. Third, we have amazing neighboring cities surrounding us like Roanoke, Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, and Richmond. In each of these historic and beautiful cities, there are lots of trendy restaurants and shops to take advantage of. Fourth, if you want to go a little bit further, you can always take a day-trip to Washington D.C., Raleigh, NC, or Charlotte, NC. In Washington D.C. you can visit the numerous museums and national landmarks, while hitting the shops of Georgetown. In Raleigh or Charlotte, you can explore the many unique restaurants, thrift shops, and coffee shops. Lastly, there are roller skating rinks, bowling alleys, pottery painting shops, thrift stores, and even a trampoline park all locally that are waiting for you to enjoy. Lynchburg over spring break is what you make it, and you can definitely make it fun with all of these options.

Idea #2: Beach Bliss

Mexico, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Bahamas, and South Carolina are a few different places that are a great beach destination for college students. Some are a little cheaper or easier to get to, but they all promise a pretty beach. Florida is the ideal destination for most college students because it can be done cheaply, and it is still pretty much guaranteed to be warm and a good time. Some of the best locations to go to in Florida include Miami, West Palm Beach, Clearwater, Tampa, Orlando, Seaside, Daytona Beach, and Panama City Beach. All of these locations have beautiful beaches nearby and restaurants. Some locations, like Orlando, offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like Disney World or Universal Studios or Ripley’s Believe it or Not in Panama City Beach. Each city has its own quirks and fun entertainment/attractions. West Palm Beach has the island that is famous for wealth and Mar-a-lago Club. Miami is known for its Spanish culture and incredible food. Clearwater has its own marine aquarium where the dolphin from Dolphin Tale lives. Seaside is known for its white sand beaches and beautiful, relaxing water. No matter what city you choose in Florida, you know you’ll be making a good choice. There are a lot of things to do in Florida besides Disney or the Beach. Some cool things you can do in Florida include: An Everglades tour, check out the Kennedy Space Center, Miami Seaquarium, the Jacksonville Zoo, MLB spring training, museums, waterparks, and so much more (Van Hare & Syed, 2019). If you are concerned with getting a place to stay in any of these cities, you can use Airbnb or VRBO to rent a house, apartment, or condominium. Airbnb’s mission is to “Live in the world where one day you can feel like you’re home anywhere & not in a home, but truly home, where you belong” (Mission Statement Academy, 2019). This is very important to travelers as they can feel comfortable while prioritizing adventure. Airbnb and VRBO are incredible options for housing that are fun, comfortable, and reliable.

Idea #3: National Park Adventure

If you are feeling a little adventurous this spring break, you could venture out to the west coast to discover some of our country’s most beautiful national parks. Some of the states with the best national parks include California, Utah, Arizona, South Dakota, and Wyoming (Travel Channel). In California, you could visit Yosemite or Redwood National Park. While you are out there you could even visit San Francisco or Los Angeles if you feel like going a little bit further on the road. In Utah, there are so many beautiful national parks that it is difficult to decide which ones to fit in for only one week. Zion, Monument Valley, The Arches, and Bryce Canyon are just a few different places that should definitely be on the list. The number one hike at Zion is Angels Landing, which is a very intense trek that rewards you with an incredible view of the surrounding mountains and valley. In Arizona, you could visit one of our nation’s most prized national parks, the Grand Canyon. You can even choose to camp at the very bottom of the canyon for a night that you will not forget with stars that light the path in front of you. Bright Angel Campground provides the perfect experience for camping, as their website states: “Spend a night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon surrounded by 2-billion-year-old granite and Vishnu schist! Campsites either sit at the base of towering cliff walls or line the creek” (Grand Canyon Trust). In South Dakota, there is not much but the Badlands and Mount Rushmore, but I still think that it’s worth going to. Lastly, in Wyoming you can go to Yellowstone or Grand Teton. Yellowstone is the first ever national park in the world. You may be thinking to yourself that this sounds unrealistic because it is far and expensive; however, you can choose to caravan out to the west coast and camp. Not to mention, there are multiple days select national parks are free. You can bum it for the week and just eat Clif bars and granola if that is the dedication it takes to travel out to the west coast under a certain budget.

I hope these ideas help you make up your mind on how to successfully master your spring break, so you can make it your best one yet. Just remember the words of William Feather: “One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.”

Sources

https://mission-statement.com/airbnb/

https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/national-parks/photos/best-national-parks-of-the-west

https://www.thedailymeal.com/things-to-do-florida-that-arent-disney

https://www.grandcanyontrust.org/camp/bright-angel-campground

Kings Kaleidoscope is a faith-based band from Seattle, Washington. Although they can be lumped into the Christian genre, their music is far different from anything else that is currently being produced in that department. Led by the singer/songwriter Chad Gardner, Kings Kaleidoscope, or KK, was formed in 2010 at Mars Hill Church, where Gardner led worship.

In the following year, KK recorded their first EP titled Sin. As time went on and the band developed, in 2016, they released their album Beyond Control, which reached number 6 on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart and number 16 on the Independent Albums chart. Their truly unique sound is what separates them from the rest. They can incorporate rap, worship, instrumentals, and everything in between into their projects. A more recent example would be their popular rendition of Grace Alone which starts out slow and worshipful but ends with a bang as the full brass and instrumental sections come in. Additionally, the truly iconic voice of Chad and his genius behind the beats helps to give their music a lasting impression in your mind. Once you hear a song like Sticks and Stones, which was recently featured on a Lexus commercial with almost 200,000 views on YouTube, it will most likely be stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Just try not to make an emotional decision and buy a Lexus after listening to this song.

Come laugh, sing, and dance with us as Kings Kaleidoscope feat. Rhineland will be performing at 7:30pm on March 6! Information regarding tickets and concert details will be available on our website. See you there!

Sources

https://www.kingskaleidoscope.com/join

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kings-kaleidoscope-mn0002999854/biography

With the ever-evolving entities of social media and culture, the entertainment landscape has seen interesting changes when pertaining to an artist and their actions outside of the field. We have seen a variety of musicians, actors, and writers’ careers take drastic turns with the ever-looming threat of social media and the media analyzing every decision made and every word they’ve ever said. In this article, I will be dissecting the dichotomy of the artist and the art that they produce. I hope to provide insight on the dilemma of seeing an artist as a conglomerate of their character and music, or just receiving their music as is and disregarding any controversy behind them.

There is a never-ending dispute on whether or not we as consumers can morally participate in receiving the music, movies, or writings of a person who has crossed a line. Many even argue that there is no line and that actions are black and white, and when a bad choice is made they are fully prepared to completely separate themselves from the art form. Constance Grady, writer for Vox.com, reflected on her love for the movie Edward Scissorhands and her disdain for the main actor, Johnny Depp. “I can’t unfeel my teenage love for Edward Scissorhands, and I can’t unfeel my disgust for the current Johnny Depp. And for me, right now, my emotional reaction to the photographs of Amber Heard’s bruised face is stronger than my emotional reaction to one good performance from nearly 30 years ago. This is not a philosophical or ethical decision on my part; it is an emotional one” (Grady, 2018).

I see this as an appropriate take on the issue. In my opinion, there is no black and white when it comes to a topic like this. It seems that the middle ground of this spectrum is to enjoy the work of these controversial figures without advertising it because there is a public penalty in doing so. However, some see things differently. Heidi Stevens, writer for the Chicago Tribune, says, “I do know, for me, I can’t listen to music that, in the case of both [Michael] Jackson and R. Kelly, lured alleged victims into a life of trauma…I don’t see it as a slippery slope toward cutting myself off from the world’s great art. I see it as refusing to ingest poison” (Stevens, 2019).

With all of that being said, it is apparent that there are such cases where the actions executed by certain people are so heinous that it cannot be separated from them; thus, accountability actions must be taken. As aforementioned, R. Kelly partook in despicable acts involving child molestation, and many feel that any participation in his music is enabling such behavior. While I agree with that stance, I have found it hard to hold that same standard for everyone, especially if there are artists that I really enjoy such as Michael Jackson, who is held in high regard by most of the general public. However, in Jackson’s case, there was much psychological trauma from his childhood that festered into his actions as an adult. This is most definitely not an excuse for his behavior, but from human to human, it makes it much easier to reconcile with it all. Ultimately, one must dissect each individual and their circumstance to decide for themselves if they should personally support the artists. It is important to have discernment in cases such as this and to also develop your own opinions when it comes to rejecting or reconciling these artists and their art.

As a Christ follower, the lens with which we should view this debate is one with grace. The Bible says, “For judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement” (James 2:13, ESV). We must love artists the same no matter what and leave the judgement to God. Their fame does not supersede His word. With this mindset it provides a little bit more moral clarity, but still doesn’t fully answer the question. To be honest, I don’t think there is an answer. It ultimately falls to the receiver’s personal convictions. As for me, I see the art as not necessarily belonging solely to the artists, but instead to my own experience with it. When I listen to Michael Jackson I don’t think about his controversy, rather I feel the memories I have attached with his tracks. Even though the songs were made by the artist, the art is ultimately mine to decide what I do with it. To me, that is what makes art truly beautiful and unique. It is a culmination of our nostalgia and experiences that decide how we interpret it.

This debate will go on forever, but I hope this article has helped you all to form your own opinions and stances. I am so interested to keep this discussion going on and hear your insights, feel free to contact me!

Sources

https://theoutline.com/post/7070/separating-the-art-from-the-artist-isnt-so-hard
https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/10/11/17933686/me-too-separating-artist-art-johnny- https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/heidi-stevens/ct-life-stevens-wednesday-when-artists-use-art-to-prey-0306-story.html

 

Written by: Alex Quan

Alex is a Junior 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.

 

Our fourth annual Every Square Inch Conference (ESI) is just a few weeks away, and we’re so excited for what’s in store. In conjunction with the Center for Apologetics and Cultural Engagement, we’ll host a series of events centered around the topic of political culture. The name ESI originated around a concept from the Dutch politician and theologian, Abraham Kuyper, who said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign overall, does not cry, Mine!” As we explore this concept here at Liberty, we look to provide opportunities for our campus to dig into Christ’s dominion over all aspects of culture.

This year, we have the privilege to hear from two of our very own professors at Liberty. Dr. Mark D. Allen is the Executive Director of the Center for Apologetics and Cultural Engagement and Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies. He is the co-author of “Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness” (2018) and a contributor to “Biblical Leadership: Theology for the Everyday Leader” (2017). His lecture “Christian Civility in Politics as Gospel Witness” will be our featured event for the conference. Keith Faulkner is the Dean and a Professor of the Law School. He joined Liberty in fall 2015 and prior to that served as an interim dean at Campbell Law School where he led the institution to its highest rankings as a top tier law school in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools 2014 guidebook, competed for three national championships, created Campbell Connections Mentorship Program, Public Interest Fellow Program, and more. He will kick off our events on Thursday, March 5 with a workshop titled, “America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship.”  

The events will take place March 5 – 6, beginning with a private luncheon with our speakers and ending on Friday night with a concert featuring alternative rock band, Kings Kaleidoscope. Here’s what to expect for all our ESI events:

Thursday, March 5

We hope you join us for these conversations regarding our faith in politics March 5 and 6. For more info about Every Square Inch, visit our website.

We recently had a conversation with our old friend, Joel Coleman, who works as Managing Photographer in the Marketing department at Liberty. If you’re unsure of what exactly a Managing Photographer does, you’re in luck! In this episode, Joel discusses what he does day in and day out, how he got his start in photography, and why he was fearful to turn his passion into his day job at first. We had a great time catching up with him about his current entertainment interests and hearing about the concerts he’s attended lately. Tune in to learn more about Joel Coleman!

This podcast features Erin Cleveland (Assistant Director of Programming), and Steph Ward (Director of SA). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Event Supervisor). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.

Thursday, February 13, we had the pleasure of showing six student-produced and directed films at our second annual Film Fest! It was a great night full of videos, mingling, a Q&A with the directors, and of course, awards.

We wanted those of you who missed the event to feel like you were there, so we’re attaching four of the six films to this blog post for your viewing pleasure. You might want to watch them before reading which awards were won so you can form your opinion, but if you want to cut to the chase, here are the award winners:

Best Acting: “1959 On My Mind” by Cameron Wilson

Best Cinematography: “Jesus Heals a Paralytic in Lego” by Sam Lee

Best Directing: “1959 On My Mind” by Cameron Wilson

Best Editing: “When They Fell” by Philip Pomeroy

Best Musical Score: “1959 On My Mind” by Cameron Wilson

Best Special Effects: “Jesus Heals a Paralytic in Lego” by Sam Lee

Best Screenplay/Writing: “1959 On My Mind” by Cameron Wilson

We had the best time at the event and can’t wait for next year!

Typically, when Valentine’s Day comes up, people think of a super romantic date with the stereotypical package of roses, chocolates, and expensive restaurants. On the flip side, people may think of an absolutely awful date experience they’ve had. While romantic dates have their great stories, people’s worst date stories are far more interesting to talk about, and that is exactly the direction we are taking here.

Starting off we have Kaitlyn, a dear friend and fellow coworker with a date story that not many people encounter:

“It was the summer before my junior year of high school when I had a very interesting date. Leading up to this “date” I thought we were just friends grabbing dinner, but I soon realized that his intention was a little different than mine. The telltale sign was him picking me up from my front door while also persisting to meet my parents. I had told my parents I was going out with the youth group because I did not want them to think I was going on a date, but they obviously realized that wasn’t the case once he got to my front door. After he proceeded to meet my parents, I got really nervous because I realized we did not have the same intentions. We had a plan to go get a casual dinner and I was more than ready to eat because I hadn’t eaten all day. Once we got in the car, he completely switched the plan and decided to go mini golfing. My grumbling stomach had another thought in mind, but I decided to let it slide and go with the flow. As soon as we arrived at mini golfing, the clear, blue skies quickly subsided and were replaced with stormy, cloudy ones. Our plan to go mini golfing was squashed with the unrelenting rain. So, we decided to plan yet another idea. Our second-best idea was to go bowling and I was excited because I am kind of stellar at bowling. After two games of ruthlessly beating him, I decided I needed to probably let him win at least one game. During the “date”, I was texting my two best friends giving them short updates with what we were doing so I could keep their curiosity peaked.

After bowling, we quickly grabbed ice cream from McDonalds (so romantic) and then he drove me home. My best friends were constantly texting me pawning for details, but at one point they just stopped. When he dropped me off, he walked me up to my front door to say goodnight to me. As we got to my front steps, I heard what I thought was an animal in my bushes wrestling around but I ignored it. As he hugged me goodnight, I then thought I heard whispering from the same bushes, but again ignored it. Immediately after I got into my house, I got a text from my friends asking how the date was which came to a shock because they were spot-on with the timing. As I texted them back with the details of the date, they sent another text saying that we needed to go out to coffee the next morning because they had something important to tell me, which instantly made me nervous.

The next morning, I got coffee with them and they proceeded to tell me that they were hiding in the bushes waiting for me to get home on my date. In addition to that, they were driving around town trying to figure out what bowling alley and McDonalds we were at. At first, I was appalled and then I couldn’t stop laughing. The guy who I went on a date with that night still has no idea. Overall, the date wasn’t awful, but the story behind it makes me want to cringe and laugh at the same time. The moral of the story is: get yourself friends that will hide in bushes to spy on your first date with a guy.”

Our next worst date story comes from another great comrade of mine, Alex Quan:

“I will be sharing a personal worst date story that I experienced back in high school. Unfortunately, what makes this date story bad was my own actions. It was my junior year of high school and there was this girl that I was starting to talk to. We had finally agreed to go on a date and the plan was for me to pick her up so we could go out to Sonic for milkshakes then head to watch a movie together. I had gotten all ready and even threw on an extra spray of cologne before my car decided to not start. I was so embarrassed, but ended up finding the courage to ask her if she could drive instead.

Soon enough, she picked me up and we made our way to Sonic. If I wasn’t already embarrassed enough, I came to the awful realization that I had forgotten my wallet. While I fumbled to find the words to explain my foolery to her and the Sonic worker, she intervened and paid for both of our shakes. If you thought this couldn’t get any worse, you are wrong. As the worker handed me the milkshakes, I let them slip out of my hands and the milkshakes took a tragic fall and spilled all over the inside of the car. Needless to say, the vibes were completely dead, and the date ended at that point as she dropped me back off to my sad car. Yup…rough times.”

Yikes, Alex! Our final date story is one that some of you may relate to from another friend of mine, Madelyn Mauck:

“It was my freshman year of college when I decided to go home for Thanksgiving. My family was asking the usual annoying questions about whether I’m talking to someone at school and whatnot. Then, the third day of Thanksgiving break, my dad decided to share that he set up a blind date for me. I assured my entire family that I did not want to go, but my parents said I had to. When the day rolled around, I was feeling nervous and uncomfortable, but I decided to be open to it. The person my dad set me up with turned out to be a childhood friend’s brother, which was a little awkward, but I was happy to see a familiar face. He took me to Panera for dinner, and things were going pretty well. I ordered my usual broccoli cheese soup in a bread bowl, and we began to talk about college and our plans for the future. I was just thoughtfully listening to his stories while scooping some bread from the side of my bowl, when the plastic spoon snapped into several pieces and soup splattered in my hair and all over my face. I want to know who told them it was okay to give out plastic spoons??? Anyway, we had a good laugh about it and he ran to grab a new spoon and napkins for me.

Later on, during the dinner, he was telling me a very personal story. I went to take a bite of soup, and then I realized I had just scooped a piece of the plastic spoon into my mouth. At this point, I didn’t want to interrupt his story because I felt really awkward, so I kept the piece of plastic in my mouth. I was awkwardly responding to his stories, with this giant piece of plastic in the side of my cheek, which made my voice sound weird and uncomfortable. Finally, I ended up taking it out really quickly while he wasn’t looking, and the rest of the date went pretty smoothly. I never went out with him again, mainly because I couldn’t get past the awkwardness of everything, but it was a good experience.”

So, if you end up getting that dream Valentine’s date, be sure to be thankful that it didn’t go as poorly as the ones just mentioned. On the flip side, if you do end up on the worst date ever, stay positive because it can only go up from there.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Student Activities!