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Well, hello my little Romeo and Juliets. If you have clicked on this blog, it is probably because you are on the search for love. Well, I have great news for you all… Psychiatrist Arthur Aron created 36 questions designed to help two strangers build intimacy and potentially fall in love. The questions are divided into three sets, with each set getting progressively deeper and more personal. Here are the questions:

Set 1

1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
2.  Would you like to be famous? In what way?
3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
4. What could constitute a “perfect” day for you?
5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?
6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?
8. Name three things you and your partner (the person you are dating) appear to have in common?
9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
11. Take 4 minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.
12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?

Set 2

1. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future, or anything else, what would you want to know?
2. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
3. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
4. What do you value most in a friendship?
5. What is your most treasured memory?
6. What is your most terrible memory?
7. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?
8. What does friendship mean to you?
9. What roles do love and affection play in your life?
10. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner (the person you are dating). Share a total of 5 items.
11. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s?
12. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?

Set 3

1. Make 3 true ‘we’ statements each. For instance “We are both in this room feeling…”
2. Complete this sentence: “I wish I had someone with whom I could share…”
3. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.
4. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time saying things that you might not say to someone you’ve just met.
5. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.
6. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?
7. Tell your partner something that you love about them already?
8. What if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
9. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? What haven’t you told them yet?
10. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?
11. Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?
12. Share a personal problem and ask your partner’s advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.

I dove deep into these questions with someone and now we are married, have two kids, and drive a minivan. Okay just kidding but seriously these questions are awesome for getting to know someone and finding out if you are compatible.

Since Coffeehouse: Exes and XO’s is around the corner it is the perfect time to put these questions to the test. If you have gotten to this point of the blog, I challenge you to do these questions with your person of choice. If you fall in love, do yourself a favor and come to Coffeehouse on for a romantic date night.

Wishing thee valorous luck on thy journey to findeth loveth. I desire to seeth thee deeply in loveth on March 25th at 11:30 pm in the Vines Center! Xoxo!

 

Written by Riley McAllister

Riley is a Senior Strategic Communications major with a concentration in Social Media Management. She loves keeping up with what is trending throughout media, and being able to write about it. Writing has always been a way for Riley to get creatively inspired. She is excited for her Student Activities blog journey!

 

Trying to find some tunes for your spring break roadtrip playlist? Look no further, we’ve got just the thing for you. Featuring both popular hits and under-the-radar artists, everyone has something to love on here.

When I took my time to do a deep dive on Beach Chapel, I came to the realization that there was so much more to their entirety than just music.

Their debut began in California with Adam Lamah and his dream to minister to those who don’t know Christ. He wanted to reach out into his community and share the Gospel through his gift in music. It was when reading through their website that quickly came to understand that Beach Chapel is not just an evangelical band, but a ministry. Their mission is to organize live sessions throughout the well-known piers of California to draw in people so that they may here about the love that Jesus has for them.

One of the things I really appreciated when researching their ministry was that the title “Beach Chapel” does not specifically apply to those who write and perform the music, rather everyone who sacrifices and contributes to the cause is a part of the team. They may be an artist on Spotify, but at their core, they are a team of directors, event planners, and followers of Christ.

That team of people puts together what they like to call, “sessions.” They are the events that are held out in public where their live music and ministry take place. Adam and his team primarily arrange their sets on many iconic piers throughout the state of California, right next to the ocean, hence the name, “Beach Chapel.” Since 2020, they have held 17 of these sessions throughout various locations on the west coast and have had anywhere from 20 attendees (from their first show) all the way to 400, according to Adam’s testimony on Beach Chapels website. They have released 16 singles on Spotify and clock in at 86,000 monthly listeners as of February 2023.

I’ll be honest, I’m not entirely one to find and listen to “underground bands.” That is a task I typically leave to my friends. But In regard to Beach Chapel’s music, I’ve come to develop a niche spot of my personal library for them. They carry a tone that brings about a calm state of mind and relaxation. The blending of Lo-fi beats, rhythmic guitars, and gentle phasing synthesizers allow me to picture myself in the sands of California whenever I tranquil myself and gander in my mind eye. My favorite thing, however, are the lyrics in which these songs are written. Each and every song focuses on the character of who Jesus is. Songs like “Holes in Your Hands” and “Sweet Water” describe the selfless love of Christ that died for us so that we may be alive in him. I think that it’s a great alternative listening choice to some of the secular options out there. Personally, I need some positivity in my day and Beach Chapel has been a great source for that as of late. The more I listened, the more intrigued I became in the background of the band. Thanks to their website, I learned that, specifically, their mission is to use contemporary sound to draw in the crowds, soften their hearts with the lyrics, and have them stay to hear about Jesus. At all of their sessions, they have a team ready and waiting to assist those who might want to learn more about Jesus and take the next step in allowing him to be the lord of their lives. Their mission statement can also be found on their website, which reads, “Beach Chapel Sessions is yet another tool God is using to bring His children on the west coast to the realization of His love and sacrifice.” – Adam Lamah. Personally, I think that their mission is something that all followers of Christ can take after. I feel as if a great number of us have been getting a little too comfortable in the comfort of our homes and churches, when the people that need reaching are out in the streets. Beach Chapel doesn’t just invite people in, but they go out and meet them where they are, both spiritually and physically.

If one of these sessions sounds like something that you would be interested in experiencing, be sure you buy your tickets for Beach Chapel’s concert this Saturday, February 25th, on the Student Activities website. Adam and his team of musicians are flying in from California to share some of their music with the students at Liberty University. If you and your friends are looking for a fun, Christ-centered activity this weekend, I would highly encourage you to attend this concert in the LaHaye Event Space at 8:30 p.m. If you want to catch up on some of their songs before their show, some of my personal favorites are Swim, Jerusalem, and the one I mentioned earlier, Holes in Your Hands.

For more information about Beach Chapel, their Instagram, @beachchapelsessions, and their website which can be found by clicking here. I hope to see you this Saturday at the concert.

 

Written by Storm Nickerson

Storm is studying Music Recording through the school of Digital Media and Journalism. He is currently a junior here at LU and was born and raised in Virginia Beach.

Last summer I had the opportunity to work at a daycare, and one day I asked an elementary age boy the same question adults asked me a million times when I was a kid: what do you want to be when you grow up? I remember wanting to be an artist and author when I was five years old; my sister wanted to be a firefighter. I’m sure we all remember having our own aspirations as kids: doctor, teacher, singer, actor, real estate agent, major league baseball player, etc. But this little boy answered with a career that I don’t even remember existing when I was a kid: a YouTuber. Isn’t that answer so telling of our times? To the confusion and possibly even disgust of the older generations, Gen Z views becoming a social media influencer or vlogger as valid career choice. In fact, according to LinkedIn, “For… Gen Z tweens… the top choice for career path was ‘You Tuber’… For older members of Gen Z… 54% would become an influencer if the opportunity was presented to them.”

I think the older generations are going to raise questions like “can you actually support yourself financially?” or “will your job security last only as long as you’re famous?” But for Christians, I think a different question might take precedence: is it Christ-like to make your living through something that requires you to seek out popularity? After all, doesn’t Mark 9:35 say that “anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all”?  We all probably know of somebody social media famous who claimed to be a Christian but let pride get to their head and was less than a Christ-like example. Does that mean that Christians should avoid these careers altogether?

In John 17:16-18, Jesus prays, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” I want to highlight two big things from this verse: the need for cultural engagement and the need for an understanding of truth. We may not be able to reverse the trend that our generation is spending more and more time scrolling on their phones, filling their minds with all the entertainment, beauty, and clutter social media has to offer. But we do have the opportunity to engage in the culture our generation is a part of by influencing what they view on their screens. Unbelievers can have access to the gospel literally at their fingertips… but only if there are young people producing culturally relevant content that fills their feeds with the hope of Christ. Still, so many twisted “Christian” messages are flowing out into the world. That is why it is so important that we become saturated in truth through time spent studying the Bible, so we can be accurate messengers of the Gospel. While we may be sharing our favorite product or favorite hobby in our vlogs and TikToks, our ultimate goal should be to reflect the light of Christ, humbly accepting our position of popularity as an opportunity to be a messenger.

Whether we have an Instagram following of fifty, there’s a blue check mark next to our handle, or we avoid social media for whatever reason, we are all influencers in our world. How are we going to use the platform that God has given us?

Culture is certainly changing, and the older generations may budge against the Gen Z’s perception of careers. When it really comes down to it, the main concern should not be whether the old is better than the new or vice versa but whether we are willing to use whatever career we enter into to share the age-old truth of the Gospel.

If you’re wanting to rewind time and reminisce about what it was like to be a kid fantasizing about what you wanted to be when you grow up, come out to Career Day Bingo this Saturday, February 18, at 9:00 p.m. in the LaHaye Event Space, where you can show off your amazing fit for your dream career!

[1] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/influencers-why-so-many-gen-zers-want-pursue-careers-neal-sivadas-

 

Written by Moriah Joseph

 

February is in full swing. Classwork assignments are beginning to pile up, you’re trying to decide whether to embrace Valentine’s or wear purple in rebellion, and you can never seem to find the perfect playlist. Well… we can help with one of those problems. Check out what our staff are listening to this month. 

We can all remember when the single “Driver’s License” or the entire Sour album by Olivia Rodrigo came out. Our generation rocked out to the new songs of heartbreak. We were also taken on the dramatic journey between her and ex, Joshua Bassett. We’ve recently heard his side of this heartbreak story in his new music release “Different”. Now, Joshua Bassett has taken a turn and is speaking out about finding love… Jesus’ love.

This year Joshua Basset has posted about his personal experience of finding faith in Jesus. He posted on Twitter, “Jesus Christ is the only way…” shocking fans inside and outside of the Christian world. After the initial post, he shared more details of his encounters. When looking into this topic, media headlines state things like “fans concerned about Joshua Bassett” or “fans wondering if Joshua Bassett is ok.” On the flip side, Christians are excited that another Hollywood star has found Christ, and many leave encouraging messages for him.

I think it is important to address both sides. Culture views choosing to follow Jesus as a concerning thing – we’ve witnessed this in recent comments. I think it can be easy for Christians to become frustrated with these responses around us. But then I remember when John says, “do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.” (1 John 3:13). Scripture prepares us for these situations knowing that we, and Christianity, will not be accepted by the world. More than that, there will be pushback.

On the other side, many of us have concerns about celebrities coming to know and follow Christ, yet their way of life never looks different. It’s not that we are looking for faults or expecting transformation overnight, but as scripture reiterates to us, there should be fruits of our faith. As we spend more and more time with God, we will look more and more like Him. James 4:4 says, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” This part explains that it’s not possible to be a part of the world while living for Christ. Unfortunately, it is common for our favorite stars to fall back into what the world gives and, in the end, choose that path instead.

Another reminder for myself, and I believe many of us, is that we don’t know their hearts, only God does. We aren’t the judges, God is (James 4:12). As we are each on our own walk with Christ, comparison can creep in and cause us to compare our walk to those following Christ “better than us” or those “failing worse than us.” This reminds me of the story of Jesus and the woman caught in sin. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7) None of us are truly pure, yet God still loves us just as much. As a brother or sister in Christ, it is our job to love them as Christ first loved us and spur them on towards Him.

We follow the lives of many celebrities all the time, find pleasure in their personal drama or indulge in their work, whether it be music, film, etc. I think it is too common for Christians not to look beyond the surface and see them as real people in need of a savior. Even though we don’t have a direct relationship with them, we can be obedient in the areas God calls us by praying for them allowing Him to change their heart.

The Every Square Inch Conference is a great way to learn about how theology and culture meet. It is important to understand theological foundations and how to approach the world we live in through the lens of scripture. Come hear Trevin Wax speak on the merging of Culture and faith at 9:45 AM, 2:15 PM, and 5:30 PM on Thursday, February 9th. When evangelizing to a friend or a stranger, it is vital to understand the faith we claim to have. It is also essential to know your audience and how their culture influences how they view life and faith.

If Joshua Bassett’s recent experiences are to teach us anything, I think we should remember to pray for the celebrities we follow, our friends, classmates, neighbors, coworkers, and anyone else we encounter in daily life. Let’s also pray that Joshua’s influence can lead more people to Christ. I’ll end my post as He ended his: “I’m better than I have ever been, the peace I feel is far beyond what I thought possible.”

Written by Makena Joseph

Makena is a senior studying Graphic Design with a minor in Business. She plans to run her own design company specializing in brand design and move to Hawaii post-graduation. In her free time she loves binging tv shows, cooking, and spending quality time with friends.

2023 is here, and spring is coming. There is much to look forward to in the spring, like warmer weather, blooming flowers, baby animals, and longer days! No more sunsets at 5:00, please. As Liberty kicks off the spring semester, Student Activities is here to help with your entertainment needs.

We are kicking off the semester with a classic Open Mic on January 17^th; there are 6 Open Mics, so find the one that works for you and come on out. However, we recommend coming to all of them. Also, in January, we are bringing back a favorite from the Fall, Neon Mini Golf, which will be on January 27^th.

February holds the first concert of the semester. Jordy Searcy will be coming to the LaHaye Event Space on February 10^th.  I recommend looking Jordy Searcy up on Spotify if you have never heard his music; the vibes are immaculate. We have another concert on January 25 with Beach Chapel. Beach Chapel is an up-and-coming band from the west coast that uses catchy pop melodies as a vessel for Christian music. You can find more information about these shows on our website at Liberty.edu/sa.

March is all about Coffeehouse! We are all excited for Coffeehouse exes & XOs on March 25^th. In the most fitting fashion, tryouts for Coffeehouse will be held on February 13^th, 14^th, 17^th, and 18^th. Buy your tickets here! If you need a way to break the ice with that special someone in preparation for Coffeehouse, we will have Late Skate at the LaHaye Ice Center on March 3^rd.

If you go through the semester and decide that you want to work for Student Activities, come check out our Job Fair on April 4^th. We will also showcase a new event on April 21st; Student Activities will host a Video Game Night. Keep your eyes on our social media for more details. April ends with a bang with After Party on April 29^th.

Our last event of the Spring is the fan-favorite Yard sale, come out and sell all that stuff you know you don’t need. It’s nice to leave for the summer with some extra money in your pockets. If you want more information on this event or others, follow Student Activities on Instagram (@libertysa) and check out our website.

 

Written by Jordan Kreitzinger

Jordan is the Assistant Director of Student Activities and leader of the Blog Team.

“I just put the finishing touch on the theme reveal,” I said, walking over to Leah Ginion’s desk.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yep, and I saw that you moved my La La Land clip by half a second, so I moved it back.” This, admittedly, being an accusation, I had no evidence for.

“I had only made two tiny audio edits on that last draft and they were nowhere near that clip.”

“Well,” I said defensively, “I fixed it. It’s exported and loaded into the show.”

That was the moment we were ready for Coffeehouse. The queue was set and ready to launch on Saturday night.

It’s 11:25 p.m. on Saturday, December 3^rd and the audience on camera is dancing to Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe”, then we finally hear the last song start up. Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande… the last song before the show starts… Lights fade to black, and I am once again reminded: The show doesn’t go on because we’re ready. It goes on because it’s 11:30.

The intro plays, and Off the Record’s guitarist starts playing Silver Bells, the song the show was named after. They have 4 singers, and even though each could front their own band, together they are incredible. They transition into Jingle Bell Rock, a personal favorite, and with that, the show has started. Time for our hosts.

Hosting Coffeehouse may seem natural or easy, but it takes hours of practice to get ready for that night. And these two have practiced. I’ve watched them rehearse this script over and over to get ready for the stage. Jordan introduces the show, then brings up Hannah. She pushes through her first lines, but it’s clear, both of them know the room is not in sync yet. That is until we compare the Annex to a homeless shelter. Hannah follows it up by comparing Commons to the stuck-up rich in Manhattan, and we are off (note: Hannah lives on Commons and did not write that joke, she is very sweet and only made that joke because we made her). We throw in a few more campus roasts, Jordan and Hannah come off stage, and we’re into our second act.

The Snoloreans are up and are followed by our first student-made video. But our team is waiting nervously for our 3^rd act, Quentins Quismas Quartet, the Student Activities staff fought hard to keep them in the show. Their schticky self-aware rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was a favorite from the night.

Jordan throws us into another edition of Holiday Hot Takes, where the crowd cheers to settle some hotly contested debates like who’s Liberty’s grandpa? Dr. Wheeler or Jerry Prevo. Dr. Wheeler is at the show, so when we cut to him in his seat the crowd goes wild.

KMO performs his new original song “Same 5 Hoodies”, right before we get We Three Strings. Their incredible talent playing the John Williams score from Home Alone was unique and incredibly well done. Following them was Tiz the Szn who wowed the crowd with her rendition of “All I want for Christmas is you”, before our first dance act of the night. Divine Call danced to “O Come All Ye Faithful” which provided one of the lovelier moments of the show, but now it was time for the show-stopper.

In Fall of 2021, we were putting together our first Christmas Coffeehouse having just come out of Covid. Nothing prepared us for an unknown Freshman who tried out with “Oh Holy Night”. It was stunning, iconic, and breathtaking. 1 year later Aunalyse built on that performance by singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. The now-seasoned performer took complete ownership of the room as she landed note after note, bringing the audience to its feet. If my life ever depends on the vocal performance of someone, I put my faith in Aunalyse.

Lucas James and his band Lasso around the Moon, covered “Christmas Morning”, which again, brought the audience to its feet. The energy then began to build as Lost in Demoss played “Rocking around the Christmas Tree”, the acapella group North Star sang a beautiful rendition of “Marry did you Know” and “Auld Lang Syne”, and Santa’s Little Helpers, along with the iconic dancing tree ornament played “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”… But now it’s time for the Spring theme.

The Student Activities team argued over this video for hours. Heated takes like “is there too much Ryan Gosling”, “did we put enough content in for the boys”, “Jim and Pam or Ross and Rachel”, or my personal favorite “don’t you dare put in the sock scene from Napoleon Dynamite” carried through the halls of our office. After 14 drafts, lost sleep, and a bevy of arguments about Titanic… it was done.

There wasn’t a single member from Student Activities not watching the stage as our hosts went up to announce the theme. The video started and we waited. First Queen sings “Somebody to love”. “Is the theme 80’s” I heard a Rhino worker say. Then Guardians of the Galaxy, Pride and Prejudice, and the Princess Bride. The room knew what it was. The theme was love. “At Last” by Etta James faded out and “Kiss Me through the Phone” started. This is where it got wild. The aforementioned Napoleon Dynamite and La La Land were met with great applause. Gilmore girls, High School Musical, Avatar, and the beloved Nacho Libre all danced across the screen before the iconic “Good For You” began to play over clips of heartbreak and sadness. After clips from The Office, the Notebook, and 10 Things I hate about you played the theme became clear. This is about Love, but heartbreak too. The final scene played with Cap and Peggy dancing alone while the title card came up to show that the theme was “Coffeehouse: Exes & XO’s”.

The night came to a close with performances by D-Trex and Southside of the Stars. We also got the next installment of “Lustbusters”, and our in-house rock band Carlisle closed the show. I’m not sure how anyone was able to sleep that night. Those three acts were so high energy and incredible, I am afraid of what Cookout looked like after the show. I’m really not sure how we are going to top it next Spring.

But we will… well the students will. There are a few full-time staff members at Student Activities that help guide the show to what it is, but the personality, charm, and life that Coffeehouse has come from the student body. It comes from the dozens of tryouts and videos. The reason why you never forget your first Coffeehouse is because of the long hours students put into their performances. It was an honor to work alongside all of the performers that night, and it’s an even greater honor to host that event for the student body.

We hope to see you all in the Spring singing along to the most famous love/heartbreak songs of all time. I selfishly want someone to try out with “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Coffeehouse: Exes & XO’s is on sale now, and tryouts will open in January. We look forward to seeing you all there!

 

Written by Cort Comfort, Director of Student Activities.

Regardless if you love to shop or not, Christmas is approaching quickly, which means gift buying is underway. Student discounts are in my opinion very overlooked but if we just take 2 extra minutes out of our shopping experience, we could all be saving a little bit more. Personally, I love shopping, but I also love saving money, here are some student discounts that we should be taking advantage of not just during the holiday season but year-round when shopping.

Some of my personal favorite student discount sites accessible from the app store on your phone or web browser are Student Bean and Unidays. With more than 10 categories and more than 1000 brands, you are bound to find at least a handful of stores that may pique your interest at Student Bean. They launched their award-winning verification technology, enabling brands to ensure their student discounts are only available to verified students. Today, they partner with thousands of the world’s biggest brands across fashion, technology, food, entertainment, and more, and power a global network of students in over 160 countries. Student Beans is so easy to sign up for, all you have to do is go to Student Bean Sign-up and create an account it is that easy. But maybe you are not able to find what you are looking for at Student Bean for whatever reason an alternative or back up to that is Unidays. With over 20 million users, Unidays is a discount website that is available for free to students worldwide. Current students in higher education can sign up with Unidays to get discounted deals on products and services. Unidays does offer some exclusive deals that Student Bean does not like Adidas.

Some of my favorite categories to take advantage of is the technology discount. Apple does a wonderful job at giving student discounts, especially during the back-to-school season. They typically do a free pair of air pods with a purchase of a Mac or IPad but as of recent years, they have done a $150 gift card instead of the free pairs of air pods. Apple also provides in my opinion some of the best education pricing, this is available to current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels. This is to ensure that you are equipped with all the possible tools to succeed. With the education pricing, you are expected to save about 10% on the Apple production and although they may not seem like a lot it is still better than paying full price.

As consumers we take in a lot of media and music and why not do that at a discounted price. Some of the best digital subscription discounts given to students are from Spotify. Spotify has partnered with Hulu and Showtime to provide services at an extremely low price of $4.99. Some other ones are Amazon where students can obtain 6 months free of Amazon prime. Audible where if you like to read you can get a free audiobook when you sign up and after that, the service is $14.95/month. If you’re trying to find ways to read more books, then Audible is a good place to start. Maybe you are not super into music or reading and prefer to travel and gain experiences. Although it may seem dated, there are still some areas of the United States where using the train is a practical option. Amtrak provides a 15% off of Amtrak rides in certain regions for U.S students. Maybe the train is not really your thing, and you prefer your car instead. There are discounts for car insurance, here are the major insurance providers that offer some kind of student discount, State Farm, Nationwide, Geico, Allstate, Progressive, and Farmers. Just make sure you meet the qualifications and that it is applicable in the area of which you are from when applying.

These here are just some examples of some of the best and most useful student discounts that we should be taking advantage of. Although I’m not encouraging you to spend money that you may not have I am encouraging everyone to save some money where you can.

 

Written by Pimm Kiatrungrit

Pimm is a junior majoring in Digital Media & Journalism. She enjoys being a part of the blog team and getting to write about topics she is passionate about.

Before we start throwing tomatoes and lighting pyres, allow me to just say that I love Friends. I love the humor and camaraderie of six friends all (unrealistically) living and thriving in New York City. What’s funny is that when my parents were first dating and married, they loved watching Friends! So, you can imagine their surprise and mild confusion (maybe some concern too, that’s valid) when I started binging it in my teens. Naturally, when I did start watching Friends more often there was a bundle of light within me, it was the dream to visit or move to New York City and it got brighter and brighter with every laugh track. Finally, this past summer, I had a perfect opportunity to go to the city for the weekend – for the very first time! A quick background: I live in the middle of nowhere with three cats, a very old horse and a donkey. I had never seen a skyscraper before, so this was an experience and a half. It was still so much fun and magical, but nothing at all like I expected. It was dirty, a little scary sometimes, very expensive and let me tell you – no coffee shop couches! As much as I love Friends, the show did really ruin the reality of cities everywhere and let’s be honest… probably crushed some dreams.

For one, Friends made New York City seem a lot more exciting but also a lot more chill at the same time. It was exciting in the sense that the friends always had something to do, but chill in a way where it wasn’t too hectic (unless you’re trying to shove a couch up a staircase, that will always be hectic). As fun as they make New York City seem, and believe me, it can be super fun, it still idealizes city living quite a bit. Remember what I said a few seconds ago about the characters in Friends unrealistically living in New York City? Fixate on that word “unrealistically” for a moment. You watch a few episodes of Friends and try and tell me that anything about Ross, Chandler, Joey, Rachel, Phoebe and Monica’s lives in the Big Apple are anything close to realistic. Allow me to set the scene: we have Rachel, a waitress and later a stylist in New York City, who is somehow able to afford a massive two-bedroom apartment with Monica, who is a chef. Listen, I used to want to be a chef. You may be asking, “Hannah, since you wanted to be a chef soooo badly, why aren’t you in culinary school right now?” Valid question. I would be, if chefs made any money at all. Monica starts out as a chef at a regular restaurant, not Gordon Ramsey (although I bet he’s an advocate for sticking a whole turkey on heads too – an idiot turkey?). In the show, Monica and Rachel paid $200 a month in rent. Spit take, what? Listen, y’all. I get that it’s nearly thirty years after Friends started, but $200 will barely (if even) get you a hotel for one night in NYC. Trust me, I faced that harsh reality.

We need to move away from rent prices before I bust a vein in my forehead. Now this next one this isn’t too big of a deal, but I think something needs to be said about the frequent visits to Central Perk and the constant availability of an entire couch. The only couch in the shop, always free for six friends to claim for an entire night? And they never get yelled at? Not stereotyping New Yorkers to be super mean people, but I wouldn’t say they’re extra nice either. This is another area we can argue that Friends lowkey ruined the city. You have to admit, they made the city look a lot friendlier than it is. Again! New Yorkers aren’t particularly mean, I think they’re just used to having to have a hard outer shell. Think about the movie Elf, where Buddy (the elf in question) went to New York City for the first time and had a few rude awakenings. One lesson we can take from his experience is to not go calling other people elves willy nilly – especially not angry elves. Despite all of Friends’ faults, I could go on for days about how much I love it and admittedly, it is my guilty pleasure.

All unrealistic idealizations of rent and couches aside, there is something about Friends that I think we should all keep in mind. No matter where you are for the holidays, whether it’s in your small hometown or massive, big city, or Tulsa, or even if there’s a giant armadillo celebrating with you… The best place to be for the holidays is with the ones you love. That standard is never unrealistic. So this Christmas, no matter where you find yourself, be sure to do the best you can and savor the moments you have with the people you love. Remember to call your mom, practice your New Year’s Eve dance routine (the OG’s will know), and have a very Merry Christmas.

 

Written by Hannah Clark
Hannah is a senior studying event planning and has plans to soon be a professional wedding and special events planner. She loves using writing as another way to express her creativity and in her free time, she loves to play video games, bake, and play fetch with her cat, Gidget.