Blog

It’s “that” “time of year” again. Everyone is gearing up for “the holidays”, and in many places, that includes getting ready for holiday movies. And since you already have a lot on your plates with shopping, decorations, and avoiding 2nd and 3rd tier relatives, please, at least let us help you get ready for holiday movies. Of course, “holiday” movies are not just movies that are all about Christmas. We measure them based on the old, old standard of “movies released sometime between mid-November and Christmas day”. This is valuable information because you don’t want to get in line with that special someone at the theater this holiday season and think, “I didn’t know about that movie!”, thereby embarrassing your date, forcing him/her to decide whether or not to feign sickness or pull a fire alarm to escape and salvage his/her night. So, let’s see what you’re going to go see.

Blockbusters galore! That’s the first chapter of our money book from 1991 called “Ways to Get Rich for the Next 8 or So Years”. It’s also a good way to describe the next month and a half in movie releases. Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (Nov. 5) gets things started, kicking off what looks like a 1,600 foot wave of a black hole of movies from which no one can escape:

• Disney’s Big Hero 6 (Nov. 7) combines the big, fun heroics of Wreck-It Ralph with the Huh?-ness of Wall-E.
• Dumb And Dumber To (Nov. 14) FINALLY gives 35-year olds the sequel to end all sequels (assuming Braveheart 2 is not in the works).
• Liberty-friend Kirk Cameron throws his hat into the ring with an actual Christmas movie, Saving Christmas (Nov. 14). LET’S HOPE HE SUCCEEDS.
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (Nov. 20) continues to satisfy the demographic “Yeah, I usually don’t read books but I REALLY loved The Hunger Games and, I don’t know, I just always kind of pictured Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss”.
• December 12 will be like double Christmas for some people as we not only get the final installment of The Hobbit with The Battle of the Five Armies, but also another Bible movie ($$$!), Exodus: Gods And Kings. Yet again, leave it to Hollywood to mangle a Bible story. The Exodus movie strays pretty far from the biblical narrative when (spoiler alert) Pharaoh’s magicians are defeated by Gandalf. (Excellent cross-movie promotional strategy, though. Bravo, Hollywood execs!)
• Musical fans, rejoice! You not only get the Annie remake you’ve been crying for (Dec. 19), you also get the Into The Woods movie version you’ve been tearfully begging for (Dec. 25). The point is fans of musicals are very emotional.
• On a sentimental note, movie fans will see Mickey Rooney’s and one of Robin Williams’ final films in the dramatic conclusion the Night at the Museum trilogy in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (Dec. 19). Less sentimentally, Crystal the monkey reprises her role as “Dexter”, the annoying monkey. Breathe easy, fans of this movie franchise.

Will any of these movies make a holiday movie best-of list and/or become synonymous with “the holidays”? It’s hard to say. Consider: unofficially, Die Hard and Harry Potter are two of the top holiday movies of all time. Yet, officially, Die Hard and Harry Potter get disqualified from holiday movie best-of lists for the same reason: excessive amounts of Alan Rickman. So we can just say “too soon to tell” where movies from this batch will end up; history will judge. In any case, you are now prepared for the holiday movie season. Movie Christmas and a Happy View Year!

Stay tuned to our Movies page for the dates of our upcoming Movie Nights!

Student Activities proudly presents The Oh Hellos with Dogwood & Holly in concert on Tuesday, November 17, 2015. The concert will take place in the LaHaye Event Space starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are just $8 in advance for students, $12 for general public, and will be $15 for everyone at the door. Purchase them

From The Oh Hellos website:

“The Oh Hellos began in a cluttered bedroom, where siblings Maggie and Tyler Heath (born and raised in southern Texas) recorded their self-titled EP in 2011. In the fall of 2012, the sibling duo released their debut full-length record Through the Deep, Dark Valley, an album full of regret and redemption, which they wrote, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered themselves.

When the time came in early 2013 to bring the music to the stage, the Heaths reached out to friends both new and old and gathered together an ensemble of touring musicians the size of a circus, tumblers and all.

Their second full-length album, Dear Wormwood, is a collection of songs inspired in part by C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters and Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind, mythology and folklore, and apocalyptic literature. The album tells the story of a protagonist trapped in an abusive relationship, by way of letters written to the antagonist. It was recorded, piece by piece, in the house where Maggie and Tyler live in San Marcos, TX, and much like The Oh Hellos’ live performance, the album presents two alternating faces: at times delicate, intimate, affectionate; and at others, soaring and towering and joyfully explosive.

Their influences range from Fleet Foxes and Sufjan Stevens to The Middle East and the Muppets, bending and blending styles and genres into a unique mixture of eclectic folk rock.”

Joining The Oh Hellos will be Lynchburg/Liberty’s own Dogwood & Holly. Check them out on Facebook to see their remaining fall schedule, and go get some of their music on NoiseTrade.

In preparation for the release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (in theaters November 20), Student Activities presents The Hunger Games: Movie Marathon, taking place on Saturday, November 14 in the LaHaye Event Space. The movies will be shown as follows:

• The Hunger Games – 7:00 p.m.
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – approx. 9:30 p.m.
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 – approx. 11:59 p.m.

The Hunger Games movies have certainly earned the right to be called “blockbusters.” The first three movies have earned over $2 billion, putting them in 20th all-time on the list of top-grossing movie franchises. The release of Mockingjay – Part 2 should propel it at least into the top 15, if not higher. As with other movie franchises based on popular novels, The Hunger Games has been an engrossing experience from the beginning. Based on critical reception of the first three movies, it can be argued that The Hunger Games is one of the new standard-bearers of movie adaptations of novels, remaining true to the story as it originally appeared, the clearest sign that Suzanne Collins participated in crafting the screenplay. Perhaps more quality like this may help get us closer to a truce in the everlasting battle between Books vs. Movies. In one sense, it is a bit sad to think that people are so, well, hungry to see the embodiment of a novel’s characters, discontent to leave those characters on the page in their minds. But that is the reality of the entertainment industry we feed. Positively, however, it is only natural to want to see the action, the settings, and the characters who so capture our imaginations. This shows the power of movies to tell our stories, and when performed well, the value of strong actors.

The cast of The Hunger Games is one of the most celebrated aspects of the movies, starting of course with Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. Whoever plays Katniss in the eventual reboot of the franchise will have a hard time taking her away from Ms. Lawrence. As other reviewers have noted, her performance is a near-perfect complement to the gray sadness that characterizes Panem, an outstanding portrayal of “scarred survivor and a reluctant symbol.” Josh Hutcherson receives high marks for his performance as Peeta Mellark, so what if he’s not as handsome as Liam Hemsworth/Gale Hawthorne? Few actors could be better as President Snow than Donald Sutherland, calm yet maniacal, increasingly devilish as the series proceeds. The name value of the remaining, supporting cast is high, with Stanley Tucci, Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, and Philip Seymour Hoffman all adding a great deal to an already outstanding list of performances.

Is there redemption in The Hunger Games? Yes, very much so. Both Katniss and Peeta demonstrate the high virtue of self-sacrificial love (please see Amy Simpson’s thoughts on Peeta as a Christ-figure in the movies). Despite the horrors of the Hunger Games themselves, and in the face of oppressive evil, Katniss represents hope to the masses, hope that extends beyond immediate circumstances, pointing to the possibility of a better future. It is hope in the face of fear, the two adversaries that characterize all of life. The Hunger Games deals with these issues in a compelling way, using racism, class distinctions, traditional gender roles, political corruption, and biting critique of entertainment-saturated culture as backgrounds. These movies are well worth your time and attention.

Please enjoy the FREE popcorn, get some good snacks and drinks, and enjoy The Hunger Games: Movie Marathon, brought to you by Student Activities.

I love a good story, especially when it comes to incredible musicians interacting with, and helping, their peers.

During the 1998 Grammy Awards, Luciano Pavarotti was scheduled to perform his famous ‘Nessun Dorma’. However, last-minute, Pavarotti informed the show’s producers that he couldn’t go on because he was sick. This left show organizers trying to figure out what to do with the scheduled slot. Phil Ramone, one of the show’s producers, knew that Aretha Franklin had sung that very song at Radio City for a MusicCares event just two nights prior. One problem: her arrangement was completely different than Luciano’s. With just twenty minutes until the scheduled performance, Ramone rushed to Aretha’s dressing room to convince her to cover for Pavarotti. After listening through a rehearsal tape three times, she agreed to do it…even without a rehearsal.

You can see below how the performance went. She stunned the audience.

The 2015 movie year is nearly over. The late fall/early winter blockbusters will be here soon, while the year’s biggest hits, like Jurassic World and Avengers: Age of Ultron, have fallen like memory leaves in our brain forests, just lying there with the other crappy ones, like Jurassic World and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Ah, this cruel life, as we trod over what was “then” for what will soon be “now.” What’s that you say? The new Star Wars is out in like 40 days?!? Well, what are we waiting for?? Let’s trample all over those dumb memories as we look ahead to the Fall/Winter 2015 Movie Season!

Yes, it’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens’* (Dec. 18) universe, and we’re just a small, Hoth-based, Rebel alliance in it. Many of you have likely downloaded some sort of countdown timer for it, or, Yoda help you, forced yourself to re-watch the Jar-Jar Binks nightmare that is Episodes 1-3 in anticipation of the biggest movie of our time. These are very natural feelings you’re having toward The Force Awakens, and we encourage you to embrace them. Use your aggressive feelings, feel the hatred of other movies flow through you! Yes! Good! GOOD!!***

Actually, there are some other huge movies in the next month and a half that are worth checking out, so don’t go too crazy with the dark side there, kids. In fact, why not start with the very opposite of the dark side at The Peanuts Movie (Nov. 6)? Watch the cartoon stars of MetLife commercials/various holiday parade balloons come to life on the big screen in amazing animation! Charlie Brown will probably try to kick that football again, Snoopy will probably fly his doghouse like a WWI fighter pilot, and the kids’ teacher and/or parents will talk like a muted trombone. There may even be some surprises!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (Nov. 20) may be the other, most anticipated movie of the year after Star Wars. Mockingjay – Part 2 follows in Part 1’s footsteps, challenging the establishment, daring to use both a dash and a colon in the title, a clear homage to the bravery of Katniss Everdeen herself. WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Don’t miss Donald Sutherland as The Most Interesting Man in Panem, or Julianne Moore as what looks like a fancy ghost.

Pixar is back again, presumably for more of your tears, with The Good Dinosaur (Nov. 25). It’s the story of a prehistoric-looking, grunting boy who shares an adventure with a somewhat sophisticated, talking dinosaur. MOVIE DOUBLE-TAKE: If you replace the boy with Anne Hathaway, you basically get The Intern.

Two, beloved old stories are shocked with Hollywood electricity, revived for blockbuster movie life, and then (probably) harpooned or torched by angry critics: Victor Frankenstein (Nov. 25) and In the Heart of the Sea (Dec. 11). Victor Frankenstein is the name of the scientist. The monster is actually Daniel Radcliffe’s neck beard. In the Heart of the Sea is based on the story which begat Moby Dick and features the can’t-miss, Hollywood magic of adding Chris Hemsworth to the cast. Call me Ishmael…’s wife, AM I RIGHT, LADIES??? (Actually, his movie name is Owen Chase, so I am not at all right, ladies.)

If you love the seventh circle of hell mixed live-action and animated characters on screen, then you’ll want to see Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (Dec. 18). THE END IS NIGH ALERT: The Road Chip is the FOURTH MOVIE in this series. Why/how? Surely, there are not many puns or days on earth left. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Four Horsemen of the Chip-ocalypse cannot be far behind.

Finally, just in time for the holidays(!), Christmas Day brings us a set of very interesting, not-very-feel-good movies: Concussion and The Revenant (Dec. 25). Concussion looks like it’s going to force Will Smith to act, and with such a relevant topic, the combination may make everyone forget his movie Focus, and maybe, fingers crossed, start to cleanse the stain of After Earth. As for The Revenant, there is no joke. The only possible downside is that the trailer makes it look a little too good. Here’s hoping there is no downside. And here’s hoping you finally get that Oscar, Leo!

There you have it: just a little preview of a fall movie season jam packed full of movies that look like they could be at least pretty good, maybe even very good, but possibly also not so good. It’s our seasonal way of saying “Don’t get your hopes up too much” and “Don’t forget: more than anything, ‘Hollywood’ wants your money.” Now go pre-order those Star Wars tickets and pick your camping spot for The Force Awakens’ premier!

On Friday, November 6, 2015, Student Activities is thrilled to welcome Andy Mineo back to Liberty on the Uncomfortable Tour, with special guest JGivens and narrated by Propaganda, starting at 8 p.m. in the TRBC Auditorium.

This will be Andy Mineo’s third concert event with Student Activities, and his performances remain some of the most exciting we have ever had. We certainly appreciate him, but we feel like everyone can always be a little more thankful for Andy. Of course, we should be thankful for all of the top representatives of holy hip hop. But with his latest release, Uncomfortable, Andy should get an extra handshake or a gift card or a gramophone-shaped trophy or something. But even if he doesn’t win any awards, his album should have direct and lasting effect on the way hip-hop artists, Christian ones especially, approach their creative efforts. In the first place, Uncomfortable serves as a reminder of Christian hip-hop’s place in popular music: the uncomfortable, anomalous middle. Lecrae lamented this for everyone with his last album, and Andy talked about it on Sway in the Morning (starting approx. 20:20) – for somewhat obvious yet different reasons, mainstream and Christian radio outlets are reluctant to embrace Christian hip-hop. Yet, the charts, album sales, and even the most recent Dove Awards hopefully show a changing tide in that regard. Second, Uncomfortable is another offering in the trend towards the importance of creating an album, not just a bunch of songs. Rock heads should love the fact that Andy was inspired by what he calls “psychedelic rock” on the new album, an influence one can hear in both sound and structure. Listen to the track “Strange Motions (ft. Willow Stephens)” and you can almost hear Pink Floyd trying to break through; the only problem with this song is that it’s just a little over 2 minutes long, so maybe he should have pulled a little more, prog/psychedelic rock influence in. Beyond that, the album does stick closely to the basic idea of the title: the album will certainly cause some discomfort, lyrically speaking, as Andy does not shy away from some serious topics. At least one reviewer sees this as a negative for the album, asking essentially, “Where’s the fun?” But as Andy has said repeatedly, Uncomfortable is meant to be an embrace of difficult questions as well as an honest introspection, equal parts confrontation and confession. “Now I Know” is Andy taking stock of where he came from in terms of early life influence. The title track pulls no punches in its address of social ills, paralleling it with American obsession with ease and comfort. “Vendetta” offers a challenge to political structures. “Hear My Heart” is an apology to his older sister, who was born deaf, for his having never learned sign language. Uncomfortable calls to mind two, fairly well-known pieces of sociology. The first is Neil Postman’s explanation of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World – in short, people will be controlled, not by pain or fear, but by pleasure, slowly consumed by ease and trivialities. The second is G.K. Chesterton’s famous response to a newspaper’s question, “What’s wrong with the world?” He replied, “I am.”

Sadly, Mali Music was a late scratch from the tour, so you will not be treated to a live performance of the excellent track “Desperados”. Happily, though, you will get JGivens instead. Be sure to check out all of JGivens’ music, but especially go watch the video for his song “10, 2 Get In” in all its 360 degree glory. Last but not least, the tour has Propaganda as its narrator. This is another show we cannot wait for, and we think you need to be there. Tickets are still on sale, so get to our website and get them while they last. It’s the Uncomfortable Tour featuring Andy Mineo, thanks to your friends at Student Activities.

So, if you are reading this, chances are that you are intrigued by the title, perhaps hoping to glean some relationship advice from the experts here at Student Activities. However, the knowledge I have to share with you is how to enjoy the outdoors during the frigid months of Lynchburg’s bipolar winter. Disclaimer: weather here in the 434 is extremely fickle, so you might find a sunny, seventy-degree day in January to go hiking in your short-shorts. But I’m concerned about the cold and icy days, so for those, I have a few tips.

Do the Math The first thing you’ll need is your iPhone calculator and favorite weather app. Open the app, check the weather for the day you want to be outside, and find the Feels-Like temperature. This number usually includes wind-chill and other factors, so I find it more helpful than the listed temperature. Next, compare that to the type of activity you plan to do. More strenuous activities like cross-country skiing and trail-running will make you generate a significant amount of body heat, while lower-energy activities like light hiking or walking will produce less body heat. So where’s the math? It is right here: Take the Feels-Like temperature, add or subtract an additional number to it based on your anticipated level of activity, and then dress as if that new number is the actual temperature. For example, let’s say I’m going trail running, and it is 30 degrees outside. I would add 15 degrees to the feels-like temp, unless it is really windy in which case I would only add 10 degrees. So, I would dress as if it is 45 degrees, 40 if it is really windy. Everyone is different. Some people are very intolerant to the cold and need to bundle up all the time, and I also know people that will always wear a t-shirt and shorts no matter how cold it is. This process may take some experimentation but I have found it to be a very effective strategy for my outdoor activities and I think it’s worth it. Hopefully it can be helpful to you, too.

Dress Smart Enough talkin’ about numbers. You want to go outside! You may be thinking, “Great, now I’m halfway to receiving a meteorology degree but WHAT DO I WEAR?” I am glad you asked. Ok, here is my number one rule concerning what to wear when you exercise in the cold, or at all, ever, anytime, anywhere. DON’T WEAR COTTON. Ugh. Cotton is miserable for exercising. It is really nice and soft when its dry, but when you exercise you sweat and then the cotton soaks it all up and then it gets heavy and scratchy and chafe-y. Ew.  Just don’t wear it. Instead, wear moisture-wicking materials: polyester, spandex, Lycra, and wool are all great for exercising. Now before you say “Waaaah, Under Armour is too expensive”, I’ll share my secret: Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Burlington Coat Factory. These places usually have an ample supply of moisture-wicking clothing at really low prices. Sometimes the items are weird colors or have the logos in the wrong spot, but they are cheap and functional. Apply this philosophy to all of the clothing you wear, including socks, underwear, shorts, shirts, hats, etc. Stocking up on some of these items will make dressing for the weather much easier.

My second rule is to dress in layers. Layering is a very effective technique that lets you modulate your temperature while you are out exercising. You have much more flexibility in your dress if you wear three light layers than one heavy layer. I usually start with a tight, long-sleeved, moisture-wicking base-layer, then I wear a middle loose-fitting, short sleeved layer for extra insulation, and if it is really cold I will wear my super-light and packable windbreaker jacket to help keep some of my body heat in. Hats and gloves are also very useful tools to have in your wardrobe. Think of your blood as a warming system for your body. Your blood leaves your heart very warm, it circulates through your body and then it returns to the heart to receive oxygen and then gets re-circulated. Your blood vessels are very close to your skin in your hands, feet and head. Wearing a hat, gloves, and warm socks helps to keep your blood warm when it circulates out to your extremities and is closest to the cold air of the outdoors. I find that if I wear a warm hat, socks, and gloves, I can usually ditch one of my other layers.

Where and When My last tip for enjoying the outdoors is to consider where you will be going and when. The weather and the topography of your venture will affect the temperature. Hiking on a high ridge or peak of a mountain tends to be windy, but finding tree cover can sometimes break up the wind and reduce the wind-chill. Also, the time of day is important. Even on cold days, you can still use the daytime to your advantage. If you are trying to stay as warm as possible, exercise in the early afternoon when the sun is high and go where it is sunny.

Well folks, that’s about all I have for you. I have been using these tips and tricks for a while and I actually enjoy running outside now. I used to hate running in the winter but I have learned to conquer the cold. I hope you will do the same!

On Thursday & Friday, October 29 & 30, Student Activities is hosting back-to-back Movie Nights in the LaHaye Event Space, featuring two, outstanding animated movies, Inside Out & Minions. Each movie will be shown twice (8 & 10 p.m.) on their respective nights, Inside Out on Thursday the 29th, Minions on Friday the 30th.

Inside Out is a beautiful movie, one that is well-deserving of the accolades* it has already received, and one we will hopefully see as Best Picture nominee at next year’s Academy Awards. It is the story of Riley, an 11 year old girl in the middle of significant changes in her life resulting from a family move from Minnesota to San Francisco and all of the difficulties that come with it. Her life action is guided by the primary emotions in the “control room” of her mind, represented by Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. Casting for each of these emotions is outstanding, with Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith (from The Office), Lewis Black, Bill Hader, and Mindy Kaling voicing each, respectively. Though all five actors are excellent, it would be difficult to find two better voices than Lewis Black for Anger and Phyllis Smith for Sadness; their tone and persona carry over nearly perfectly to their on-screen characters. As for the movie itself, it is a colorful, vibrant, and imaginative handling of the complexities of human thought and emotion. What makes the movie so special is that these complexities are woven seamlessly into a deep and easily relatable story, never letting the complexity overpower or distract from the narrative. It is a powerful picture of virtue and the strength of the family without any sap; it is an honest dealing with the realities and difficulties of life. Though there is strength to all of the characters, the interplay between Joy and Sadness is one of the things that sets Pixar’s movie making apart. This content of the movie is well worth the time as a study or evaluation, yet it has tremendous power and value in its visual artistry and emotional depth.

Minions, on the other hand, is nothing more than slapstick fun and silliness. Please, someone tell us what is wrong with this. You already know you like Minions in general. You know what they’re about. You know you want to understand their gibberish, and perhaps even enjoy bananas as much as they do. But does the story of a movie like this, or the voice actors in it, matter a great deal to you? How much of a difference does it make to know that Sandra Bullock is the voice of Scarlet Overkill, or that Jon Hamm voices Herb Overkill? Geoffrey Rush as narrator: how do you feel about that? We’ll answer for you: fine. You feel fine about it, because the only voice that really matters is Pierre Coffin’s, the voice of the Minions. No matter who the other actors are, ultimately you know that Kevin, Stuart, and Bob are going to smash each other with various blunt instruments, they’re going to have their butts out, and they’re going to scream mostly nonsense and sometimes real words like “papaya” and “La Cucaracha”. In short, you know you’re going to laugh at their voices, their faces, and their jokes that, for some reason, have and will always be funny.

Of course, all showings of these movies are FREE, and we’ll have lots of FREE popcorn and reasonably-priced snacks & drinks for you. It’s yet another great set of Movie Nights, featuring Inside Out and Minions, brought to you by Student Activities.

I recently attended a conference in Boston, MA called FutureM. A co-worker and I spent 3 full days at sessions hearing about the future of marketing, the importance of data analysis, how Generation Z is shaping the way we do business, and more. I won’t bore you with the facts, but what we learned was eye-opening. Despite their differences, there are still many similarities between generations.

Briefly, here are some of the characteristics of the generations of the last 50+ years:

Generation X (1960’s – early 1980’s)

• ¼ have been with the same employer for over 15 years
• 62% read newspapers every morning
• 85% prefer TV over the Web

Generation Y (1980’s – early 2000’s) – I was born in 1987

• ¼ are unaffiliated with any religion
• Only 33% use the Internet as their primary source of news updates
• 36% follow their parents’ influence

Generation Z (late 1990’s – current)

• On average, they use 5 screens: smartphone, TV, laptop, desktop, iPad/iPod
• 79% feel emotional distress when away from their phones
• 42% follow their parents influence

There is some definite overlap, and it’s safe to say most of us born “between” generations relate to each other in a variety of these ways. Freshmen this year were born around 1997, 10 years after me, yet we still kind of get lumped together. That’s a little hard for me to believe! I first used a computer in school when I was in 8th grade, I was 16 when I got my first Nokia cell phone, I used a library to find information most of the time, and having the Internet in your house was a treat (we got dial-up AOL in the mid-90’s – it took what seemed like a year for a website to load).

So what’s the big deal? It’s that the conventional ways of doing things when I was 18 no longer work, or maybe don’t work as well. Also, like everyone else, I had to adapt. It’s so hard keeping up with you guys!

For some perspective, just think of Facebook. I came to college 1 year after Facebook was founded and it basically forced everyone to learn new ways to communicate. Here are some key platforms that influence us today that became available (or had major overhauls that brought success) after I started college:

• Twitter (2006)
• Google acquired YouTube (2006)
• Apple released first iPhone (2007)
• App Store opens via iTunes (2008)
• Instagram (2010)
• Snapchat (2012)

What I don’t want to do is just tell you how different my experiences were than yours and give you the “Millennials have it so easy!” sob story, because the point is: (1) people in all generations have to adapt, (2) you’ll be in my shoes one day, and (3) relationships outlive technology.

Sure, I’m not 100 years old, but I didn’t grow up with nearly as many ways to communicate as there are today. Despite this, I’ve still learned to anticipate Apple’s new releases, I didn’t have to grow up with Instagram to get why it’s ever-growing, or to see how Twitter is shaping our culture. (I’ll never understand Snapchat, but that’s a different story.) Whether you’re 18 years old, 28, or 58, we adapt and figure out how to get on board with all these changes. We’re doing it together.

Second, I may be older than you, but you’ll soon to be in my shoes. I can guarantee that Instagram may be cool now, but in 10 years, who knows? It could be replaced the way Facebook replaced MySpace. At 18, I could have never imagined how fast Google could pull in millions of results for one topic. You too will be surprised by similar things. You may understand technology today, but take my word for it: even those 5 years younger than you are already shaping the way you’re doing things.

Lastly, relationships outlive technology. This may be my most important point. The way we communicate will always be changing, but relationships continue to grow despite which platforms we use. Learn from the tools you have, but grow from the people around you. Carve out time to be intentional with your friends, away from your phones, off Instagram, and just enjoying life. Your friends will stick with you well past the existence of Snapchat.

This is what we strive for at Student Activities – we’ll definitely connect with you on social media (it’s important to meet people where they are), but there’s nothing more fulfilling to us than fostering relationships with you at our events. So, no, you don’t have to stop posting your #selfies, but please, just get off your phone for 2 seconds and come hang out with us!

On Thursday, October 22, Student Activities will host The REDvolution Tour, featuring RED, with Tedashii, Capital Kings, and Wolves at the Gate, in the LaHaye Event Space starting at 7 p.m.

There are few certainties in life, but we know at least one: The LaHaye Event Space is going to get loud this Thursday. RED returns to Liberty for the second time in three years, this time headlining a tour with their very own name in it. And they deserve it. Red has been a staple of hard rock for around a decade now, having toured with many of the biggest names in hard rock/nu metal in that span, including Skillet, Breaking Benjamin, P.O.D., and Papa Roach, to name just a few. They are Grammy-nominated, Dove Award-winning, and the artists behind five, full length albums. Their latest release, of Beauty and Rage, is something more than full length, with 15 tracks and over a full hour of music. Bassist Randy Armstrong explains that the concept for the album deals with “the dichotomy of good and evil”, lead vocalist Michael Barnes adding that it is an exploration of “suffering and finding beauty in that”. This is the basis of the somewhat frightening imagery of the cloaked-and-plague-masked figures on the album cover and the art of the accompanying graphic novel. In terms of sound, you can hear many of the above-mentioned artists in their sound, but the new album adds the feel of some of Muse’s harder tracks, as well as hints of Sevendust and (look it up) Porcupine Tree.

To ensure none of you will ever, ever complain about not getting your money’s worth, three artists are accompanying Red on their tour. Likely the biggest name with them is Tedashii. His deep vocal tone fits perfectly with the rest of the tour, and with his latest release Below Paradise, we can hardly think of a rapper who fits better thematically, either. You also get up-and-coming dance artists Capital Kings, who should call to mind some of the sounds of Steve Aoki, maybe a little of the most recent Owl City, and maybe even a touch of LMFAO. Last, and certainly the loudest, you’ll also get Wolves At The Gate, who are going to probably going to set decibel-level records for the university. Their latest release, VxV, is a blast of metalcore a la Oh, Sleeper or early, heavier Thrice.

All in all, you will be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend $8 and/or your Thursday night. Tickets are still on sale, so be sure to head over to our website and get them before the price goes up at the door. It’s The REDvolution Tour, yet another great concert event brought to you by Student Activities.