Soundings recently held its final event of the semester, the annual Christmas market at Oklahoma Christian University’s Lighting of the Commons on Nov. 7.
During the Christmas market, local vendors and Oklahoma Christian art students host booths to sell products for the Christmas season. Soundings also promotes its student literary journal at the event, which publishes each year in the spring.
“My favorite Soundings event is the annual Christmas Market,” Junior Rylee Schmidt said. “I just love the holidays, and the whole Lighting of the Commons feels like a Hallmark movie.”
Sophomore Hank Waterston said Soundings allows him to share creative projects he may not be able to publish elsewhere.
“I was motivated to join Soundings because I wanted to be able to express my literary side despite being a biology major,” Waterston said. “I love writing poetry, and it’s difficult to share that love when taking a lot of STEM classes.”
Waterson also commended Soundings for working with students outside English and liberal arts majors to create, promote and publish its journal.
“You don’t have to be a humanities student,” Waterston said. “As a biology student, this is awesome, because I can participate in helping share literary and visual arts while still studying what I love.”
Soundings accepts artwork, poetry, prose, photography and other mediums into its journal, creating a diverse and vibrant collection of artists from unique backgrounds and perspectives.
“I think what makes Soundings unique is that it’s both literary and visual arts,” Schmidt said. “It really promotes multiple creative mediums and interdisciplinary thinking that is going to be super vital in our age of social and digital media.”
Throughout the school year, Soundings hosts several events to raise awareness for the publication of its journal.
“I enjoyed the start of the year fundraiser,” Waterston said. “Though it was a little hot, it was fun to sit outside and paint tote bags with other students.”
Another Soundings event this semester was open mic night, where attendees could present either published or personal poetry, prose and songs.
“Open mic night was my favorite Soundings event of the semester,” Sophomore Jackson Pearson said. “It ended up becoming really lively and fun.”
Pearson said Soundings serves as a testament to the love of artwork, literature and creation from the student body.
“The opportunity to express my ideas without any hindrance is what makes Soundings unique, I feel,” Pearson said. “I have not had as many creative opportunities like the ones given to me in Soundings.”
Soundings welcomes students and alumni of all majors to participate in its literary journal. If you are interested in participating, review the submission guidelines and submit your pieces here.
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