Blog

Andy Mineo, an American hip hop artist who displays self-reflection and vulnerability to connect with his listeners, will be performing at Liberty on September 13 at 7:30pm. The 31-year-old Christian rapper has been making music since 2009 when he dropped Sin Is Wack Vol. 1. Ever since, Andy Mineo has produced a multitude of records making it to the Billboard charts as well as selling out on tours in the United States and Europe.

After moving to New York City, he accepted and began following Jesus Christ and restarted his career, going a new direction. Andy Mineo has used his platform to reach others and empathize with them using his musical gifts. This can be evidently seen in his two-part series I: The Arrow and 2: The Sword. In “Anxiety” from I: The Arrow, he discusses the effects of anxiety and uses imagery that listeners can clearly understand. Andy Mineo’s music is more than just a catchy beat with fun and exciting choruses and hooks. He uses his music to spread God’s truth and the Gospel.

Work In Progress, his newest album, is expected to release on August 23, 2019. And from the couple songs that have been released, “I DON’T NEED YOU (DEMO.)wav” and “Anything But Country (break beat_no trap version).mp3”, we can expect more songs that have unique beats and thought-provoking lyrics. Purchase your tickets for Andy Mineo now!

Sources

https://andymineo.com/

https://genius.com/artists/Andy-mineo

https://www.billboard.com/music/andy-mineo

This year, our Block Party has an awesome lineup of premier and elite vendors that are supporting our event! We wanted to give you a rundown of who they are and what they do, so here they are:

Premier Sponsors

YES (Your Event Source) – based out of Charlotte, NC, YES has been a part of our SA events for many years now. They provide the attractions you love, like the Ferris wheel, the mechanical bull, Meltdown and more! We love working with them and having them be a part of our events, especially Block Party.

90.9FM The Light – the Contemporary Christian Music station based in Lynchburg that you probably listen to on your drive to and from work. They play the best of the Christian music charts right now and consistently support our events by advertising for us.

Elite Sponsors

Speakertree – Lynchburg’s record shop is one of the best places downtown to stop in and look through your favorite music, while sipping on coffee from the store’s shop “Backline Coffee”. It’s a great place to go and spend time with friends, talking about music and just relaxing!

Lynchburg Community Market – if you haven’t been to the Market on Wednesday or Saturday mornings, you’re missing out! We love going to the Market and getting fresh, local produce, bread and meat weekly. The Market is one of the best places to bring your family in Lynchburg, and we’re pumped that they’re coming to Block Party!

Locked Up Lynchburg – our escape room of choice in Lynchburg. For the past four years, Locked Up has had a presence at Block Party, providing a mini taste of the “locked up” experience. They’re definitely one of our favorite attractions at the event.

Golf Park Coffee Co. – you know by now if you’ve been to any of our events that we partner with GPC often. Our friends are the owners, so we tend to work together whenever we can. They’ll be serving some of their great cold brew for Block Party!

Domino’s – who doesn’t love some consistently good pizza?! Domino’s is another business we work with often, especially at the beginning of the year. Bring your Flames cash – they’re one of the only food trucks that will accept it at BP.

So there you have it! See you August 24 for some good coffee, pizza, and amazing attractions!

Unfortunately, we have a major bummer of an announcement to make. Due to another mandatory obligation on COIN’s behalf the same day as Block Party, they have cancelled their performance here for that day. We are extremely disappointed, as we know all of you probably are, and we wish the outcome could be different. The good news is that we do have another artist announcement coming very soon, so be sure to check our social media to stay up to date. Again, we’re so disappointed, but we hope you all understand that we did everything we could to make this work.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or took a hiatus from the internet and people this past month, you know the third season of Stranger Things came out on the Fourth of July. According to Netflix, I, along with almost 41 million other accounts watched at least some of show in the first four days it was released (there were 824,000 accounts that binged the entire season opening day).

Since July of 2016, Stranger Things has left a Mind Flayer sized dent in pop-culture immediately after the release of each season. This lasts for maybe a month before it’s in the rearview mirror, but that speaks more to our hyper speed consumer culture than it does to the success of the series. It’s tough to get people’s attention for five seconds these days, let alone a couple weeks, so why are people giving their attention to Stranger Things 3?

There are plenty of reasons why people watch Stranger Things, though the biggest reason is probably being able to understand memes on Twitter or follow a conversation with a group of friends – everyone else is watching it. I admit, I felt the need to watch it quickly as soon as I started seeing spoiler-level tweets. This might be a good time to let you know that this post contains spoilers for Stranger Things 3!

I believe, along with my fellow colleagues at Student Activities, that we should actively engage with the cultural products we consume through thinking, writing and conversation. Over the past couple weeks I have thought about which parts of season three of Stranger Things connected with me the most, and drew me in beyond just the cultural hype of the show itself.

Despite the show being set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, during the 1980s, it was easy for me to connect with the characters because they were facing the same reality we all eventually have to – growing up. Don’t get me wrong, I loved watching the rat/human flesh monster (excuse me while I throw up again) in battle with our favorite heroes of Hawkins as much as the next person, it was just easier for me to connect to the realistic parts of the story.

It is sad to watch Mike and Lucas fight with Will about whether they should be talking about love interests or playing Dungeons and Dragons, because I know how real and scary it can feel to grow apart from your childhood best friends due to conflicting interests. I can feel Steve’s anxiety about not knowing what to do with his life after high school, because it’s something I had to deal with in mine. I know what it’s like to lose somebody you love without ever really showing it until it’s too late, like with Max losing Billy.

Stranger Things 3 has so many subtle moments throughout the season that bring up memories in my life when I felt joy, heartbreak, loved or afraid. I feel connected to the show because I see it mirroring my own childhood/young adult life in so many different ways.

It’s important to remember how far we have come and how much we have grown to give us the perseverance needed for continual growth and development into the best possible versions of ourselves we can be. Hop says it best in his tear-filled letter to El,

“So you know what? Keep on growing up, kid. Don’t let me stop you. Make mistakes, learn from ’em, and when life hurts you – because it will – remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you’re out of that cave.”

Pieces of culture like Stranger Things 3 hold so much truth you can find and connect to if they are not passively consumed. Think about it, talk about it, write about it, just please do something with the culture you’re absorbing. Trust me, it will help you grow.

Sources

https://www.vulture.com/2019/07/netflix-claims-record-viewership-for-stranger-things-3.html

For Block Party this year, our title sponsor is Coca-Cola! We are so grateful for our partnership with Coke for the past couple years at this event.

What many of you may not know when you crack open an ice cold Coke can is that the drink has been around since 1886. That’s 133 years ago! Coca-Cola didn’t begin to make its mark on the soft-drink market until the 20^th century. It is now, and has been for many years, the number one soft drink. There are so many different kinds of Coke, you probably would be shocked to see a list.

Coca-Cola’s marketing strategies have been an inspiration to many corporations over the century. Even more recently, their “share a Coke with ____” campaign was one that rocked the world, as even non soda-drinkers began purchasing the drink just because the bottle had their name on it. Genius!

At SA, we appreciate companies that go above and beyond to change the way things have been done before, and we feel that Coca-Cola is one of the best examples of that. At Block Party, Coca-Cola has given us free Coke and Dasani to hand out, so don’t forget to pick yours up for free!

I know what you’re thinking. “PLEASE don’t remind me that classes are starting in two weeks.” And trust me, I am not gleaming with joy about getting back into the habit of classes and studying just like anyone else. But with thousands of residential students, finding an open spot to study can be quite the journey. So to help save you from walking around aimlessly, I wanted to make a list of some great spots to study, so you aren’t worried about finding a spot to sit, so you can crank out your 3 discussion boards that are due in an hour (we’ve all been there). Obviously, the library can be a great place to study. With multiple floors with different levels of allowed noise and socializing, the library can be a great place to work on group projects or to spend time alone studying. But while there is a lot of options to sit and a Starbucks inside of it, the library can still be full quiet a lot when you go. To be able to get your ideal spot, you have to go to the library at a time when isn’t it busy like a Saturday, but since I know you may not want to be working on a Saturday, let’s look at some of the other spots that many people don’t take advantage of.

1. Liberty Mountain Snowflex Lodge

This has been one of the places I’ve always liked to go. It’s not too far from main campus, and the lodge usually is pretty empty. You also have a great view of Lynchburg from the top of the mountain. During the warmer days of school, you can sit outside on the upper deck as well.

2. Science Building

The Science Building is one of the easiest places to access. It’s located right in between the library and the rot. There are plenty of tables to sit at, and comfortable chairs throughout all the floors. The best part is you don’t have to worry about a lot of people after classes let out.

3. Montview Student Union

This is one of the best places to study if you don’t mind background noise. When I choose to do homework here, I usually do busy work like discussion boards or other weekly assignments. It’s a great place to be able to socialize and eat lunch with friends while still being productive.

4. The Commuter Lounge

While this is only available to off-campus students, I had to include it. While the area is small, the room and aesthetic are great. There are plenty of couches, table, and bar seating available, and they have free coffee available. Who can go wrong with free coffee!!

5. School of Business

Even though I have not spent a lot of time studying in here yet, I got the chance to see the inside of the building, and it was amazing. The building has so many open areas and seating available. I think this will be a great spot to study by yourself or with others because of its wide, open areas.

I encourage you to take advantage of all these spaces that are right on campus. They’re easily accessible for students and offer great alternative spots to the packed library, and who knows, you may just find your new favorite place to spend your time studying!

Whether it’s the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or the Enneagram, we have all heard of personality tests. Personality tests have become a popular facet of culture, and Annie Paul, a writer for NPR, says that personality tests’ popularity is at an all-time high. It’s not surprising that these tests have become so popular. After all, they can help an individual understand more about who they are and how they function, and they make for great talking points in conversation- especially when we get to just talk about ourselves. But with countless social media profiles, articles, podcasts, videos, and other media forms, we may want to step back and rethink how we are using these tests. It’s fun to talk about our findings with friends, but we have to make sure that our identity is not found in our declared personality types.

As I said, personality tests can be great tools for self-growth and can help us understand how to better relate and interact with others, but there are also some cautions we should take to help us truly grow. As many of you know, the Enneagram has been all the buzz recently when it comes to personality tests, and the Enneagram is a great tool. It has helped me have a better understanding of myself, and I think it can be very helpful for everyone using it. However, it seems to me that the Enneagram has become somewhat misused by people. People have begun to become so attached with their number, and they have begun to identify themselves as that number. Instead of using their number to help grow, they used their number as an excuse for the way they act. People can also begin to act more and more like the number they identify with, doing things that purposely align with their number. We shouldn’t be too surprised that people gravitate towards this behavior. Inverse says, “People tend to believe they have a “true” and revealing self, hidden somewhere deep within, so it’s natural that assessments claiming to unveil it will be appealing.” We want to identify with something because we believe that it gives us a more complete understanding of ourselves, but I think this behavior is actually detrimental towards our growth. Trying to find our identity in personality tests will not lead us to personal growth; it will lead us to more questions instead of less.

As a Christian, I believe that our identity is ultimately found in Christ. Galatians 2:20 talks about how it is no longer us who live, but Christ who lives in us. The best place to seek more about your identity and purpose is the Bible. If you’re a Christian, God has given you identity in Him! I’m not saying that you should stop using personality tests intended for personal growth, but I do think there is a limitation to these tests. If we start finding our identity in these tests, we lose focus of our true identity. We’re focusing more on ourselves and who WE think we are. We begin to distance ourselves from our identity in Christ.

I truly think personality tests like the Enneagram are amazing tools, and I have used it to help me understand more about myself, but I have also caught myself using this test as my identity and blaming the way I acted on my type. As you take these self-evaluating tests and study them, don’t lose sight of your identity in Christ. You must keep Christ at the core of your identity and view these self-evaluations as an accessory to self-growth – not a necessity. When we prioritize our identity in Christ, we will find more growth and progress.

Here are some of the articles I referenced when researching. I also attached some studies about how personal bias can affect the way we test. The next time you think of yourself in terms of a number or a grouping of letters, ask yourself – where does my identity truly lie?

Sources

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/10/what-personality-tests-really-deliver

https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/0615-personality-tests.aspx

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/06/25/483108905/personality-tests-are-popular-but-do-they-capture-the-real-you

https://www.inverse.com/article/49267-what-personality-tests-really-tell-you-about-yourself

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23431200-800-how-we-represent-ourselves-can-distort-our-identity/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781118133880.hop210004

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292719778_Assessing_response_distortion_in_personality_tests_A_review_of_research_designs_and_analytic_strategies

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/pop-culture/why-do-we-need-personality-tests-tell-us-who-we-ncna914371

Sometimes it’s fun to go all out on a meal, but for most college students this is just not possible. Whether it’s a lack of time or money, there are often a hundred reasons we feel limited in our dining options. While this may be true to a degree, we shouldn’t have to sacrifice flavor for finances. That’s why I am all about finding cheap, quick, and tasty alternatives to classic meals. With it being a hundred degrees in Lynchburg right now, something cool and light seems to be the right move. Enter the chicken salad sandwich.

As the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat, but we aren’t skinning a cat we are making a sandwich and I am going to tell you how I make mine. Starting with the chicken; grab yourself a rotisserie chicken. Some use canned chicken – which is just wrong. It maybe saves you a dollar, its dry, and flavorless. Do yourself a favor and get the tasty chicken. Chop up the chicken to your preferred texture, I like to get some chunks in every bite so I cut about half the chicken to about the size of half a grape and the rest pretty fine to help with texture. Next, you’ll need your binding agent. I use plain Greek yogurt rather than mayonnaise, mainly because I don’t like mayonnaise and it makes for a lighter salad. Throw in two small packs of yogurt, you might have to adjust based on the size of the bird but this is a good starting point. Add a hefty pour of olive oil to help bring moisture and lighten the mixture up a bit. Mix it up and check consistency. I used to cry if my sandwich fell apart, and I’ve only grown up a little since those days so finding the consistency that will help it say together is deeply important to me. This is where you can mess around with adding more yogurt and oil to get to that perfect level of moisture. Salt and pepper liberally, chop and add a handful of fresh dill – I don’t want huge pieces of dill in there so I chop pretty finely. I buy these in the small containers and use the whole thing. Roughly chop up a quarter cup of almonds and add them along with a half cup of halved red grapes, this will give the salad a juicy sweet flavor with a nice crunch. Mix this all up and you have yourself a fun little chicken salad.

Now that we have the body, we need a vessel. I am a light rye guy but if that’s not your thing then use whatever bread you prefer, but don’t say I didn’t try to show you the way. This chicken salad and bread is definitely good enough to stand alone on bread, but adding some lettuce and red onion is a nice touch. If you want to impress you can quick pickle a red onion (add quarter cup sugar, a few teaspoons salt, half cup rice vinegar, three cloves of chopped garlic, in a large mason jar and shake to mix, slice onion in thin rings and add, top off with water and let that sit for about an hour. They’ll last a couple weeks in the fridge and are good on almost everything).

If you go all out and get all these ingredients this will cost right at $15 dollars and will make a week’s worth of lunches. It’s about $3 per sandwich and takes about 15 minutes to make, not to mention it’s a killer sandwich and great for hot weather days. Cooking affordably doesn’t have to sacrifice flavor, give this sandwich a try and you’ll see that I speak the truth.

INGREDIENTS

            1 Rotisserie Chicken

            2 Individual Greek Yogurt Packs

            1 Red Onion

            1 Package Fresh Dill

            Rye Bread or bread of choice

Olive Oil

            Salt

            Pepper

            Roasted Almonds

            Red Grapes

If you’re like most college students, life is pretty hectic. You’re going to school, working a job or involved in a club, and meeting new faces everyday – all while trying to figure out which degree to acquire because you’re spending thousands of dollars to be here. And if you’re like me, you’ve started answering the question “How are you?” by saying “I’m just really busy” more times than you respond with “good.” I’ve noticed that I’m not the only person doing this. I’ve had countless conversations with people where the “busyness” of our lives is the whole duration of the conversation. So, why are we so infatuated with proclaiming our busyness?

Ernst & Young, one of the largest professional services firms in the world, conducted a poll survey in 2018 where they surveyed 9,700 workers from 8 different countries about their work-life balance. 33% said that balancing work and life is becoming more and more challenging. They also found that the challenges are mostly affecting younger generations the most – not our parents. Their work is growing from just a part of their life, and it is becoming their life. According to BBC, busyness has become a badge of honor in culture. Inc.com says that American culture has turned “I’m busy” into telling people “I’m important.”  People have glorified being busy and linked being busy with being valuable, but when we give the list of things that are making us busy, we’re actually hurting our relationships and potential opportunities in the workplace.

While the list of endless busyness is appealing in our own minds, others could care less according to BBC. There’s a paradox when it comes to discussing how busy we are. On one hand, we want to talk about how busy we are and how we are always on the go, but on the other hand, we don’t enjoy when others spend our time discussing how busy they always are instead of enjoying one another’s presence. While we think that discussing our busy lives shows how valuable and important we are, it does the opposite, and this is true in relationships and in the workplace. When we say we’re always busy, we may actually be sending a couple different messages we aren’t meaning to. For example, it may seem like we’re unavailable or that we don’t know how to manage ourselves and our time. Busyness is essentially having a lot of priorities in your life that require your time and attention.

So, when our busy lives become the frequent excuse we use for not being able to hang out and grab a coffee with a friend, it sends the message, “I have a lot of priorities, and these priorities are more important” according to BBC.  That’s a big yikes. Hopefully, this isn’t the message we want to send to each other, but it can still be what people hear. Constant busyness can also affect our jobs. Inc.com says there is a common misconception of busyness, meaning the “hardest working”. Sometimes, this can be the case, but bosses may not always see it this way. Depending on your job and workload, your super busy schedules can send the message that you have a poor grasp of time management and are not able to keep up for the job.

It’s no question we are busy. Everyone has their own life with their own plethora of responsibilities. “I’m busy” has lost its original meaning. Now, it can mean apathetic, irresponsible, or even self-conceited. When asked how you are, try avoiding even using the word busy or any synonym for it. Instead, be creative and personal. Talk about something that you’re excited to take a part of or the plans that you have. These articles below also explain the “I’m busy” phrase and ways to avoid it.

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20170222-this-is-what-you-really-mean-when-you-say-im-busy

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/science-confirms-it-talking-about-how-busy-you-are-is-a-humble-brag.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/05/why-you-should-stop-telling-people-youre-so-busy.html

https://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Global_generations_study/$FILE/EY-global-generations-a-global-study-on-work-life-challenges-across-generations.pdf

We’re so thrilled to share our newest podcast episode featuring Jamie Swyers, Director of Rec Centers. Jamie has been our friend for years, and we look to her as our guide for all things career advancement, resumés, fitness and health. She is a refreshing example of a leader as she has transformed Rec Centers in the last three years to be the most inviting, welcoming gym for everyone. We discuss what “eating healthy” really means, why your social media matters, and the age-old question: should I have a picture on my resumé? Give it a listen!

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.