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Few moments in history captured the attention of the world like the moon landing on July 20, 1969. While this was a momentous achievement, the sheer magnitude of this event was almost beyond belief. How did we get to this point? The bounds of human achievement were tested during a 20-year endeavor dubbed “The Space Race”. The Space Race officially started on October 4^th 1957. On this day Russia, then Soviet Union, launched Sputnik which is Russian for “traveler”. The sputnik was the first man-made object to be put into space. This caught the attention of the United States in a big way, there was a Cold War going on at the time. The United States followed suit and in 1958 launched the Explorer 1 satellite. That same year president Eisenhower created NASA; The Soviet Union, and The United States were off to the races. (Pun Intended) For the next 12 years, scientists for NASA and for the USSR worked tirelessly to improve their respective space programs. The Soviet Union took a major lead in the space race by sending the first man made object in space and then in 1961 sending the first person to orbit the earth. The Moon became the focus of the space race that year when John F. Kennedy famously announced that the United States would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade. With this scientists had to switch the focus from simply rocket science to space flight. The moon is roughly 238,900 Miles away, you could fit 30 earths in that distance. The game was completely changed, both governments threw practically unlimited resources to their space programs. From 1961 to 1964 NSAS’s budget increased almost 500%! Setbacks on both sides made this task seem almost impossible but in December of 1968, NASA’s Apollo 11 mission successfully orbited the moon and returned home safely. This set the stage for July 20^th, 1969, when Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins maned a successful mission of landing on the moon and returning home. Many people would consider this the conclusion of the space race and would dub the United States as the “winners” of the space race. On the surface it may look that way, but it is not so simple. To say the moon landing was purely an American feat would just not be correct. The foundations of the Apollo program were set by a German scientist, and in 1975 the United States and Russia had a joint mission to space where Russian and American space crafts docked together in what has been called the “handshake in space”. After these momentous feats though, the public interest in space dwindled. The space race was very beneficial to the public in ways you may not be aware. Insulin Pump’s, water filters, wireless headsets, and even modern athletic shoes all came about because of NASA’s research during the Space Race. The public’s interest in space was peaked again with the Space shuttle program but after billions of dollars and 2 tragic shuttle disasters the public’s interested faded again and the United States government decided to defund NASA. Which brings us to today, where we have entered the modern-day space race. We have private space companies, most notably Space X, trying to go to Mars and NASA’s Artemis program which goal is to set up a permeant research station on the Moon. Because of this the public’s interest in space has been revitalized and space is “cool” again. In a way “The Space Race” never really ended but has been a grueling marathon spanning decades. This new chapter in the space race looks to reach new heights (pun intended again) and the public will again unknowingly benefit from the research that comes from it.

This breath of new life to the space race is what inspired our Coffeehouse theme this spring; The Great Beyond. We are excited to celebrate the achievements of the human spirit with song, dance, and hilarious videos. Come Join us on March 26^th at 11:30 PM for Coffeehouse: The Great Beyond, tickets are on sale now for only $5!

 

Written by: Jordan Kreitzinger – Assistant Director of Student Activities

Let’s be honest y’all, the last two years have been hard. Like really hard. The number of changes that the world has experienced over the last two years has honestly been extremely overwhelming, at least for me. My freshman year at Liberty was 2019-2020, so I experienced “normal” college life before COVID entered the scene in the spring of 2020, which means that I was able to experience Christmas Coffeehouse before the world completely changed.

Christmas Coffeehouse 2019 was one of my favorite nights of my freshman year of college. I remember having tickets for at least a month beforehand because all the upper classmen I knew told me that I HAD to go to Coffeehouse! I remember the night of Coffeehouse, I was sitting in my room with a couple of my friends, when my friend Hailey (shoutout to my favorite bean) called me screaming. Hailey told me that she had just won the Student Activities giveaway for Coffeehouse!! She told me that she won seating at a table, and she asked me if I wanted to go with her and our other friends! I remember screaming at the top of my lungs and going out into the hall to find her (we both lived on THE Emerson Hall) to ask her if she was being serious! This was a HUGE deal to us! Being freshmen and being able to sit on the floor at Coffeehouse made us feel like celebrities. We thought we were the coolest people literally ever which is NOT embarrassing because that night was incredible!! Seeing the talent of the acts performing and just being able to experience the student body coming together in such a fun and joyful way was so enjoyable. That was the end to my first semester at Liberty and I am SO grateful! After that night, when tickets went on sale for Coffeehouse for the next semester, we bought our tickets as soon as we could to make sure that we would be able to go. Then, the world shifted.

After leaving campus for what I thought would just be a fun spring break in Florida, being told that we would have to go home for the rest of the semester in March 2020 was devastating. All of the plans that me and so many other students had made for the rest of the semester seemed to crumble, including going to spring Coffeehouse. So, we went home. We went home to a lot of change, and I don’t know about y’all, but I didn’t like that change. Being away from the community that I had been a part of while I was at Liberty was hard for me. I missed it. I missed my friends, my hall, and honestly just being a part of the student body. You can imagine how ecstatic I was when I found out we would be able to come back in person the next semester!

I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited than I was the day I moved back into Liberty in the Fall of 2020. I was one of the first people back on Emerson Hall before starting CGL training and I remember seeing my RA and SCREAMING! I don’t think I’ve ever hugged a person so tightly. As happy and grateful as I was to be back on campus, to be able to be on the same hall with so many of my friends, and to just be able to attend class in person again, I was sad about how different campus life was. Everything was so different because of COVID. Understand me clearly, I am so thankful for the measures that Liberty University leadership took to keep or campus safe and open, but it was hard for me to experience a year where we were all together, but still at a distance from one another. There seemed to always be some level of separation from each other everywhere you went. Like I said though, I was just so grateful to be back with the student body again and to just experience our incredible community, even if we were six feet apart.

Throughout last year, I watched as Student Activities took our safety seriously and took adequate measures to protect all students while still hosting events and Coffeehouse was no exception! During the fall semester of 2020, Coffeehouse looked VERY different. It looked like no live performances and recordings of the acts being released to the student body to stream together in small groups. Seeing the way that SA adjusted to the challenges of continuing a Liberty tradition like Coffeehouse with so much creativity was so cool for me to see, and it inspired me. It inspired me to see what we had been given through the pandemic rather than to only see the things that were taken from us. It challenged me to be more creative with what the Lord had given me and to not just see other things as what the Lord was withholding from me, but what He was giving to others for them to steward instead.

With the fall semester looking so different than my first year at Liberty, I was super nervous for how the next semester would look, but I felt like I had settled into a rhythm for the rest of my year at Liberty. Student Activities had done the same, with events I attended with my friends running like well-oiled machines. SA had done an incredible job of adapting to the restrictions that they were under in order to keep all of us safe. By the time March came around, restrictions had started becoming more relaxed around the country which meant that Coffeehouse would be IN PERSON! The day that my friends and I found out that Coffeehouse would be in person, we jumped on the opportunity to buy a table! We were ready to relive our first Coffeehouse together! Even though there was a limited capacity at the spring Coffeehouse in 2021, the Student Activities staff did a phenomenal job of creating an incredible show for all of us to enjoy together!

I think the best thing about change is that change is constant. The Lord has taught me so much about that over the last three years. Something that I can always count on is change and change is NOT a bad thing! Change can be helpful and not hurtful. Change can look like growth. So at the end of spring semester 2021 we saw change, yet again, but this time the change looked like restrictions beginning to be lifted as it became safe to start living life in a way that was similar to how we used to live before the pandemic.

After the Coffeehouse in spring 2021 I did the one thing that made sense to me, I applied to work for Student Activities. Seeing the way that this campus organization had faced the challenges of the pandemic head on and had flawlessly provided a space to breed community throughout the 2020-2021 school year made it an easy decision to decide to apply for an event staff position at SA. After applying and getting the job (which still blows my mind!), I came into last semester with a lot of excitement and hope, specifically to work, you guessed it, COFFEEHOUSE! After a long semester of working countless hours with the rest of the absolutely incredible SA staff (shoutout to all of the awesome supervisors, event staff, and the marketing team!) creating sets and holding auditions for acts, it was finally time, it was time for Christmas Coffeehouse.

I can honestly say that I was nervous about Coffeehouse. What if people didn’t show up? What if the freshmen and sophomores who had never experienced a true Coffeehouse didn’t want to partake in this tradition? I overthought what would happen that night in December a lot more than I care to admit, but all I can say about that night was it was pure magic. As I stood at the top of the concourse of Vines and watch students pour in and find their seats, I was just so amazed. It felt like the fullest circle moment for me. I stood watching students, many of which had never experienced Coffeehouse in its fullest form, take their seats in excitement. I watched as students walked through the sets that our staff had worked so hard to create for the enjoyment of the students and I watched them enjoy them side by side, not six feet apart. I saw a room, full to the brim with students from our student body, and I watched as the opening act came to the stage. The moment our openers played the first note I remember being overwhelmed with just awe and thankfulness! I couldn’t believe that this was what we had created! I stood there honestly in shock, but then another one of our event staff ran over to me, grabbed my hand and we started dancing! We were jumping everywhere and dancing to the music in celebration! We celebrated hours of hard work, we celebrated the endurance of our school, we celebrated SA and what it stands for, but most importantly we celebrated the continuation of a school tradition in its fullest form. We celebrated students supporting their fellow classmates on stage and we celebrated the joy that had filled the room. To me, it felt like everyone in the Vines had taken a deep breath and said “We made it. We survived the changes and the hardships of the last year and a half. We made it.”

So, there you have it! If you can glean anything from this blog, take these two things with you, I am sentimentally attached to Coffeehouse and there is always a life lesson in change that God is trying to teach you. ALWAYS! With that being said, I am so excited for this semester’s Coffeehouse: The Great Beyond on March 26! If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet GO NOW! You can find tickets on our website and you’re already on our website if you’re reading this! There’s no better time like the present! Our staff has been working so hard to create a show that no one will forget, and we are so excited to show y’all what we have created! I am so excited for every one of you to experience this semester’s spring Coffeehouse! See you there!

 

Written by: Elisabeth Hardy

Elisabeth is a Psychology Counseling major with minors in Biblical Studies and Youth Ministry. She is passionate about using opportunities to show the creativity of God and His presence! She loves writing for the blog as a way to express herself and be creative about things that are fun and relevant.

Being the youngest in your family puts you in a unique position. Your parents have gained some parenting skills through trial and error on your brother and sister, you get extra spoiled because your mom forever sees you as a nine-year-old, and maybe most valuable of all, you get to learn wisdom from your older siblings’ life experiences.

Now, I gained most of this insight from my siblings through observation, but one time in particular, it was in the form of intent listening. For some context, I didn’t get my license until I was 18 (high school Jordan lacked some ambition), and as a result my brother was forced to drive me around from time to time. For the life of me I cannot recall where we were heading or what prompted this conversation, but I vividly remember being in the passenger seat of my brother’s Nissan Sentra when he turned to me and said, “Jordan, here’s the best life advice I ever received”. I look up to my brother greatly so you can imagine I was at full attention to make sure I didn’t miss a word he was about to say.

“Don’t take yourself too seriously.”

Huh? There was no elaboration other than that, a mentor of his told him that very statement in high school. I nodded back in affirmation, meanwhile my brain grasped no meaning in this profound life-altering statement shared with me. It’s been a few years since that evening and I’ve often wrestled with the significance of my brother’s words of wisdom, and now I feel as though I’ve finally gained an understanding of them.

Friend, if you’re reading this you’re likely a fellow college student living out some of the most confusing, complicated years of your entire life. I don’t need to describe to you the feeling of feeling entirely lost about who you really are, what you’re supposed to do with yourself, where you ought to be heading, how to navigate relationships of any and all kinds, how you’re supposed to feel about hot topics, or what decade is in style (seriously, is the 80’s in right now? 2000’s? everyone on this campus looks like they just hopped out of a time machine from a different year. idk).

Here’s the good news, that is okay. You are learning, I am learning, everyone around you is learning. You’re here to get an education (among other reasons), right? Your professor doesn’t hand you the final exam on the first day of class and expect you to get every answer right. So why do we get upset with ourselves for not getting parts of life right when we’ve never encountered it before? Instead of feeling like your world is falling apart because you made a poor decision, laugh and learn from it. Grow, gain wisdom, try to obtain a better understanding on how to navigate life’s many challenges, but goodness, give yourself some grace while you do it. Surround yourself with friends and community who will build you up and point out when you’re being a little ridiculous. Go to the God who gives His children second, third, fourth, fifth, a thousandth chances. Find comfort in knowing that you aren’t supposed to know, and then move forward with a loving Father who knows what lies ahead and promises to be with you through it all.

Take this not from someone who’s decades older than you, but from a friend who’s right there by your side in the thick of it: Enjoy your time, work your butt off, give yourself a break, and don’t take yourself too seriously.

 

Written by Jordan Hassler

Jordan is a Sophomore studying Event Planning with a Biblical Studies minor. He enjoys expressing his creativity through words, and sharing his experiences and personality by way of writing. He’s passionate about music, nature, and forming genuine connections with others.

Student Activities is looking forward to having Christian hip hop recording artist Aaron Cole with us on February 18^th in the LaHaye Event Space!

Ever since he was a little boy, Aaron Cole was surrounded by music. He grew up and was raised by a music centered family where his father even had a recording studio put in their apartment for their own usage and enjoyment. Cole discovered that his true passion was music while in high school and decided that he wanted to work towards becoming a professional rapper. Music truly was his muse. “I remember in junior high just enjoying being a regular kid, but I would get picked on because I wasn’t smoking, drinking, or getting in trouble,” says Cole. “One afternoon I came home and told my dad what was going on and why, and he shared that he thought I was called for a purpose and that this calling would cost me to not be like everyone else. It was that moment that I encountered God for the first time for myself, and I knew I was born to do this and began writing and putting my own songs together.” He currently is living in Bristol, VA and has released a total of six independent projects featuring popular artists such as Hollyn and DJ Maj. He was even given the honor of being inducted into the Christian Hip Hop’s top media outlet Rapzilla’s Freshman class and was discussed in an article published by Essence Magazine as one of 16 gospel artists to keep an eye out for. He was then signed to Gotee Records in 2017 and has truly made his mark on the Christian Hip hop industry.

Aaron Cole’s music is truly special as it mixes grounded Christian themes with popular sounds and relevant musical style. It just goes to show that so many mediums can be harnessed to glorify God as we live in this world but not of it.

We hope to see you in the LaHaye Event Space on Friday, February 18^th at 7:30 pm. Get your tickets now!

 

Written by: Hayley Lundberg

Hayley is a Senior majoring in Strategic Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. She enjoys working with her Student Activities family and is very grateful for the opportunity to be apart of such a creative team who truly cares about the students of Liberty. The blog in particular has been a great outlet for her to share with others!

You never know what is going to happen next. That has always been the essence of what makes an “Open Mic Night” so much fun. If you go to a small-town Applebee’s karaoke contest, you are guaranteed to hear an old man, a few teeth shy of a smile, sing his heart out to Taylor Swift. Up next is a mom in her 50’s channeling her desire for grandchildren through a stuttered rendition of “Livin’ on a prayer”. But at Student Activities’ Open Mic Night there are no such assurances. You might watch your friend sing an original song or hear a student jazz group play smooth melodies. Regardless, Open Mic Night is sure to show you something you’ve never seen before. The talent on our campus is undeniable and a few nights a semester we try to provide a platform to those that may not have one. Whether it be the engineering student who secretly practices guitar each day or the nursing student who can hit each note of Beyonce’s “Halo” as good as the Queen herself, Open Mic Night brings out the performer in all of us.

Change and innovation are deeply rooted in who we are as people. If something can be better, we try to find a way to make it better. This is how we grow, working off what we had before and building on it. Many times, the changes that were made were fiercely opposed simply because they were different. If changes are bad then we get to learn from our mistakes, which in the end helps us to push our changes even further. Student Activities is not an exception to this rule in fact it’s a rule SA lives by. Just because something has been done one way for a longtime does not mean it’s the right way or even the best way.

This Spring Open Mic Night may seem a little different than it had in years past.

• First and foremost, we are going to schedule opening/closing acts for each night. These student performers have proven that they can put together a 4 song setlist, and are ready to blow the roof off.
• Any acts who perform in Coffeehouse will be given a “Golden Ticket”. This allows the acts a one-time only chance to walk into an Open Mic Night and perform right then and there.
• Acts will be asked to perform at random, and not in sequential order. This means that the first person to sign up and the last person to arrive have the same chance of performing that night. We do not want to discourage acts that have tough class schedules or prior commitments.

Every year new students, new ideas, and new perspectives come on to this campus and SA needs to be able to adapt to give everyone the best experience. We work hard to craft experiences to the changing environment that is a college campus. This does not mean that everything we change is right, but then we learn something new and can continue on to bigger and better things. The hardest part of a new idea is when it impacts you because we all want to be the most important, we all want to make the most out of every opportunity that come our way. We just need to remember that this change is not bad because it changes our life or maybe bumps our ego a little too hard. As we take a step back, we may get to see how these changes help those around us or even make life a little bit more exciting. Just remember that more we learn and grow the better we can change. So let us all take a little bit of time to embrace the changes in our lives and see if we can get a little bit of good from them.

 

Written by: Jordan Kreitzinger – Assistant Director of Student Activities

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!! Everyone’s favorite holiday, right? Who doesn’t love an entire day devoted to cheesy pick-up lines, mediocre chocolate, and oversized stuffed animals!? And the best part – cheesy Rom-Coms! Whether you love to hate them or hate to love them, you have to admit that sitting down on Valentine’s Day weekend with your closest friends or your significant other, eating too much junk food, and watching a romantic comedy just can’t be beat!

Romantic comedies are films that portray love in a comedic and light-hearted way. Romcoms have been around for a long time, beginning on the stage long before film even came around. Some early examples of romantic comedies come from the great playwright himself, William Shakespeare. Some of his plays, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing follow a typical romantic comedy form. Two people meet for the first time, a conflict arises, trying to stop them from falling in love, but the stars align, and they find their way back to each other and live happily ever after. Cheesy – I know. We love to make fun of the unrealistic nature of these films, but we can’t help but sit on the edge of our seats, wishing that they would finally find each other again. We want to believe in love!

There are many different tropes of the classic Romcom. There’s your classic hallmark movie – big city businessman falls in love with the small-town girl. There’s the Fake-Relationship-turns-True-Love (shout out To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before!), which is possibly the cheesiest of all cheesy love stories. We can’t forget about the classic Forbidden Love, beautifully depicted in the classic play Romeo and Juliet. And my personal favorite – Friends to Falling in Love, two best friends searching for love and finally realize that what they have been looking for has been right in front of them the whole time!

Whatever classic storyline you love the most, you can be sure to find it at our Romantic Comedy Movie Marathon on February 12! We will be in the LaHaye Event Space enjoying classic love stories all evening long! If mushy love stories aren’t your thing, we will also be viewing some classic, heartfelt coming of age stories featuring the love shared between friends and sisters such Princess Diaries and Little Women (two of my favorites!) Bring your friends or your own true love to laugh, cry, and cringe over some of the best cheesy romantic comedies of our generation.

 

Written by: Sarah Day

Sarah is a junior majoring in Youth Ministry. Sarah enjoys writing for the blog because she loves exploring the ways that the simplest things in our lives impact us in the most meaningful ways. She is passionate about connecting with people, talking about what truly matters and baking.

The 1980s were truly memorable and was a decade that people can’t get seem to get enough of. Remakes of popular ’80s movies are in the works and well known shows of that time are also being rebooted on numerous streaming platforms. Things such as fashion, music, and styles of that decade have resurfaced. Let’s take a look at what makes this decade worth reliving all over again!

The launch of MTV, or Music Television, was one of the most memorable moments in music history. It began in 1981 with the statement ‘Ladies and gentleman, rock and roll.’ The first video it played was The Buggles’ ‘Video Killed The Radio Star.’ Madonna’s outrageous performances raised eyebrows all around during the 1980s, but she was well-loved by many fans. Michael Jackson’s career was at its peak in the ’80s; this was when he acquired most of his wealth and fame.

Big hair styles were a symbol for the whole decade. Those hairstyles required a lot of hairspray in particular! Shoulder pads were seen on almost every powerful female character on TV during the ’80s. Real people obviously wore them as well, though we can’t imagine how they managed that extra burden throughout the day. Leather jackets, denim jackets, and aviator jackets were trending throughout the ’80s, sometimes simultaneously. Parachute pants were also a thing, though they also had a practical purpose. Break-dancers found these clothing items useful when they showed off their moves. Since movies like ‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ were reaching new heights of popularity, this also meant that aerobics wear was in. Leg warmers were a part of such ensembles and you could find several different colors and designs. Along with permed hair, you could find the mullet, one of the most recognizable hairstyles of the ’80s. Some women also sported mullets in the ’80s and today, you can see this hair style popping up on women and men. Jeans are an everyday clothing item for most of us, but the ’80s added their own touch to them. Fashion-conscious youngsters would either buy jeans with an acid wash effect or try to bleach their current pair for those white streaks. If there were rips at the knees, the jeans would be even more in keeping with ’80s fashion. The Madonna effect on fashion in the ’80s is undeniable. Fingerless gloves, leggings with longer skirts, beaded necklaces, fishnets, bangles, busty tops and huge hair bows…the influences were shocking at times, but you can’t deny they were easy to follow. Several styles of the ’80s are still relevant today. Just a couple of examples include women having several earrings in one ear, wearing denim jackets on denim jeans, shoulder pads, and just like I mentioned mullets are coming back!

The arcade game Pac-Man was one of the most popular and quintessential trends of the ’80s. It was released in the United States in October 1980 and was immediately popular among all video and arcade game lovers. The Rubik’s Cube debuted in the 1980s and soon triggered a worldwide craze. It’s now considered to be the best-selling toy ever. Other amazing toys that hail from the ’80s include Micro Machines, Cabbage Patch Kids, G. I. Joe, Transformers, Care Bears, Masters of the Universe, etc. The Sony Walkman made its first appearance during the ’80s. Soon, every portable cassette player was called a ‘Walkman’ whether they were associated with Sony or not. If you were strolling along with a Walkman in your hands or attached to your belt, you were probably one of the cool kids. No discussion about pop culture in the ’80s would be complete without mentioning the Indiana Jones series. Harrison Ford was the biggest action star of the decade, though his work on Star Wars cannot be ignored. The first installment of the Batman series, ‘Top Gun’, ‘Die Hard’, Terminator were all within the ’80s decade. Other notable movies of this time include ‘Beetlejuice’, ‘The Goonies’, ‘Predator’, and ‘Gremlins’. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ probably deserves a separate mention, as this movie is still well-loved for its super confident, supercool protagonist. Steven Spielberg and John Hughes ruled the film industry in the ’80s. They were responsible for several popular works such as ‘The Breakfast Club’, ‘Sixteen Candles’, ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, ‘E.T’, and so many more.

‘NASA launched several space shuttles during the 1980s. Most of these missions were successful, though it’s hard to forget the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. This occurred in 1986 and caused the loss of seven lives. This was also the year of the first untethered space walk. Other historic technological advancements included cable television, VCRs, CDs, video game consoles, and so on. Nintendo released Super Mario Bros. which made up for the lack of enthusiasm with the original Super Mario earlier in the decade. The first Apple computer came on the market and the rest was history.

There’s no doubt that the ’80s was an important and instrumental decade for those who experienced it. We are able to have just a small taste of this incredible time watching TV shows like ‘The Goldbergs’, ‘Young Sheldon’, and ‘Stranger Things’ which all pay tribute to the ’80s. The music of that era is genuinely enjoyed today. While we can’t literally bring the ’80s back, it is no question that the decade will never be forgotten and never put on an old shelf.

 

Written by: Hayley Lundberg

Hayley is a Senior majoring in Strategic Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. She enjoys working with her Student Activities family and is very grateful for the opportunity to be apart of such a creative team who truly cares about the students of Liberty. The blog in particular has been a great outlet for her to share with others!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been big into any fandoms or franchises. Sure, I’ve read the Harry Potter books and know my house, but I couldn’t tell you the names of some of the lesser characters. I’ve only read the Hobbit from the Lord of the Rings books, only read the first Percy Jackson, I chuckle at jokes about Disney adults, and I’ve seen Marvel movies here and there. I might get some heat for this one, but the only Star Wars movie I’ve seen is Rogue One. (I was rather confused because I spent the first half of the movie thinking Storm Troopers were good and wondering if this was one of those movies where we were supposed to be rooting for the bad guys.) So, yeah, other than the two months in 7^th grade that I ran a fan page for a Disney Channel band, I’ve never really been part of a fandom.

With that context, it’s safe to say I was rather surprised when Marvel Trivia night rolled around last semester. One of my tasks in the weeks leading up was to write the questions that would be asked. After a solid two days of searching Wikipedia, taking Buzzfeed quizzes, and scrolling through some obscure fan sites; I had my list of 75 questions ready to go…. Only for half of them to be changed because they were too easy. In the weeks leading up, I swore that the revised list of questions were way too hard; there was no way anyone would know such obscure information about these movies (especially about StanLee cameos).

I was very wrong.

I realized just how wrong I was while some staff members and I were grading the first round of answers. Not only were people getting 8-9 of the 10 questions in the round, but A LOT of people were getting 9 or even 10 right. We ended up having more than a few tie breakers that night.

But honestly, I’ve never been so glad to be wrong. It was so fun to watch people get so excited about something. The room was packed, people dressed up, they reacted to the different clips we played, they got excited when they figured out the answer to an extra hard question. It was such a cool experience to be in a room that had so much energy about one thing. A room where strangers became really united by their common interest. So before you make a tik tok mocking Disney adults or comment about people dressed up outside of movie theatres, try to be glad for this group of people that get to experience something that truly brings them joy. And I still might not be part of a fandom myself, but I have truly learned to appreciate them and the comradery they offer. May we all find our “Marvel”.

 

Written by: Courtney Stone

Courtney is a Business Administration: Digital Marketing and Advertising major. She enjoys writing for the blog as a way to explore relevant topics and grow in written communication.

In high school I had a friend who was great at New Year’s Resolutions. One year she gave up ice cream for a year, another time she gave up chocolate. For. A. Whole. Year. I don’t know about you, but I could never (maybe ice cream). Maybe you know someone like this; maybe you are this person; maybe you’ve given up your resolutions one too many times to try again. Wherever you fall on the spectrum here are some things (22 in particular) to do in this new year.

1. Reach out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. You could grab a cup of coffee or just send them a short text. I’m sure they’d love to hear from you.
2. Take a hike. Not in a “I’m being mean; take a hike” kind of way but in a “go on an actual hike” kind of way. The area has some great ones like Humpback Rock, MacAfee’s Knob, or Cole Mountain (if you haven’t already been with your hall).
3. Learn to make a good meal. Cereal and eggs are great but find a recipe that sounds good and learn to make it! No more toast for dinner!
4. Write someone a letter. People love getting letters! Bonus points if you actually send it through the postal system.
5. Read a book each month. If this is chump change for you, good job! If not, find a genre you like, get some recommendations, and get reading.
6. Try a new sport. Pickleball, slacklining, kickboxing, windsurfing. Find a sport that sound interesting, some friends to do it with, and give it a go. Maybe we’ll see you in the Olympics someday.
7. Experience live music. There is no better time to see live music than in college. Especially at Liberty, most shows are either free or super affordable. The energy created by a full on concert or even a little street band is something truly special.
8. Dress in a different aesthetic. Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to change your whole closet, just your outfit for a day. You can even do it with a group. My freshman year, my hall all dressed up as e-girls and went to Convocation. We were only like 60% embarrassed.
9. Have a PowerPoint night. Grab a group of friends and have everyone come prepared with a random topic to present on.
10. Go thrifting or antiquing. A sustainable way to find some really interesting stuff!
11. Not for CSER, or because you have to. Just find someone in need and lend a hand when you can. Or volunteer for a Vacation Bible School this Summer – they always need help.
12. Watch the sunset from a rooftop. Or the top of the Runk & Pratt… I’ll let you choose.
13. Go on a picnic. You can go full on picnic with this one – checked blanket, wicker basket, and all. Or, you can just grab some food and eat outside on a nice day.
14. Go through everything you own. Figure out what you need to donate, trash, or find a new spot for.
15. Give something up. A fast if you will. This post is all about doing, so why not let one of the points be a lack of doing. Give up social media for a week, go vegan for a month, or quit your bad habit of chewing your fingernails.
16. Be it a day trip or tropical vacation. Go see someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Be a tourist of your own city. This is a fun one! Go to all the touristy things you’d never usually go to, take those cheesy pictures , maybe even by a t-shirt or keychain. You might just gain some newfound appreciation for your home town.
18. Go to a drive in. Whether it’s one of Student Activities’ or one in a big grassy field. Enjoy a cinematic experience from the comfort of your own car. I recommend bringing pillows and snacks as well, but those are optional.
19. I don’t journal daily or even weekly, but when something big happens or you want to remember things you are thankful for, write them down. It will be cool to look back at the year and see what God has done.
20. Do something artistic. It’s okay if it’s not your thing, but just for one day: paint a picture, write a poem, make a friendship bracelet, come up with a new TikTok transition idea… whatever floats your boat.
21. Host an event. Put some work into it! Plan something like a dinner party, a brunch, a birthday party; give it a theme if you want; and invite people to come and celebrate: just for fun!
22. Amongst all the doing, don’t forget to take time and just be.

Happy 2022 everyone! Even if you don’t do everything on this list, I hope it has given you some fun ideas or inspiration to make some memories this coming year. Let’s make it a great one!

 

Written by: Courtney Stone

Courtney is a Business Administration: Digital Marketing and Advertising major. She enjoys writing for the blog as a way to explore relevant topics and grow in written communication.

When my grandfather was about my age, he and a friend went fishing one morning in July. He lived on a lake in Minnesota, so this was a pretty common occurrence. However, on this particular morning one thing was different, they brought an AM/FM radio onto the boat. On a normal morning, fishing is done in silence, but this was not a normal morning. The date was July 16, 1969, and 1,800 miles away we launched Apollo 11 on a journey that would go down as one of mankind’s greatest achievements. I had a chance to ask my grandfather about that experience, and he quietly remarked that even through a little FM radio, he felt the gravity of that moment. After telling me about the broadcast of Apollo 11, he said something that keeps repeating in my head. Between my grandfather and his father, they have witnessed all major advancements in air and space travel. His father was one year old when the Wright brothers flew their first airplane. I am not sure why that feels so significant but there is a strange amount of perspective when you realize that the first flight and the first man on the moon, were only 65 years apart.

After Apollo 11 it was only 7 years before we had probes on Mars, and 6 years after that in 1983 we completed our first space shuttle. In 1990 we launched the Hubble Telescope which allowed us to see deeper into space than ever before. This was followed by 10 years of growth and developments in space travel, until the early 2000’s where we started to wind down on space exploration. Now we live in a time where Space X, Amazon, and other massive companies are fixated on travelling to space. In a few days we will have a new update to this list as the James Webb Space Telescope launches, and will allow us to see even further than before.

This drive to voyage beyond where man has ever been has undoubtedly led to some of the most iconic and passionate music ever created. From “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, to “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, Space exploration has provided great metaphors and rich symbolism for artists to express the human experience and the need to do more. Only 8 years after the launch of Apollo 11, millions of Americans flooded theaters to see the story of a poor farmer who found himself in a galactic battle between good and evil. This was followed by decades of inspired story telling with the Star Trek saga, Halo, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, Rick and Morty, Dr. Who and much much more.

This drive is what lead George Lucas to create an immersive space battle using models and forced perspective. It’s what lead Christopher Nolan to let actual NASA scientists write parts of his script. And it’s what propelled Rian Johnson to create an aggressively mediocre sequel to The Force Awakens.

These stories take place away from earth and are devoid of due dates, petty drama, awkward texts, broken phone chargers, and day to day annoyances. They allow for characters to test themselves, push into the unknown, and peel into the core of what it truly means to be human. Fables set in galaxies far far away are somehow personal and prolific despite the fact that the characters face challenges we never face, and hardships we’ll never know. It is this resilience and drive that we, along with 7,000 of you, are going to celebrate and dedicate an entire evening to.

This Spring, Coffeehouse is on March 26^th, at 11:30PM. The theme this year is “The Great Beyond”. We are asking the student body to practice, tryout, make videos, and eventually perform in front of thousands of people. Each performance will take inspiration from the achievements and stories told in space.  While the responsibility to perform may not be as grand as that of the head engineers at Space X, it’s still grand. And if it’s your first time stepping onto that stage, it can feel a bit like stepping onto the moon for the first time. If you are up to the challenge, we’d love to see you at tryouts on February 21^st, 22^nd, 24^th, 26^th, and 28^th.

If you have gotten this far and still wonder why we chose this theme for Coffeehouse, just go ask your grandparents what it was like to look up on July 16^th, 1969.

 

Written by: Cort Comfort – Director of Student Activities