2021 Burst the Bubble

2021 Burst the Bubble

Burst the Bubble programs are free, student-led, non-credit sessions where students who have a talent, interest, or skill share their knowledge with their peers. Burst the Bubble programs are offered during Winter Term (the month of January) and are open to all students at Elon University. Burst the Bubble programs do not include homework, tests, outside assignments, or grades. There is no faculty or staff involvement in facilitating the programs.

BTB 001: A Look into Earth Based Traditions

In this workshop we will discuss earth-based traditions such as paganism and herbalism as well as briefly touch on witchcraft. We will discuss herbs and their properties, the practices among paganism such as the Wheel of the Year and learn about magic within witchcraft and even make a protection spell jar!

BTB 002: An Introduction to Dungeons and Dragons

In our Burst the Bubble we will talk through the steps of how to start playing Dungeons and Dragons. From creating a character to learning online systems to deal with the times of COVID-19 and finishing up with one-shots where people can test out the characters they created.

BTB 003: Build Anything with the Maker Hub

Want to make a design for a sweatshirt? Or an LED acrylic sign for your dorm room? Something else entirely? Come to this Burst the Bubble workshop and walk through the steps of forming a project and following through on making it. We will first help you brainstorm what you want to create, and the rest is up to you! This is a fun, low stress, guided introduction to making and Elon’s Maker Hub.

BTB 004: Bullet Journaling Your Way: Creating a Personalized Planner or Memory Book

This workshop will focus on the concept and structure of bullet journaling and how you can apply that to make it your own. Your bullet journal can be a completely personalized planner, scrapbook, combination of the two, or anything you need it to be. The main goal is to be creative and document your college years while also setting goals, making lists, and planning for the future.

BTB 005: Burst the White Bubble: White Caucusing for Racial Justice

White caucuses are one way for white-identifying individuals to process their understanding of and complicity in white supremacy culture and to work toward becoming antiracist. One of the reasons for white caucusing is so that white-identifying people do not burden or harm people of color. This group will focus on understanding what white supremacy culture is and how it harms everyone, identifying and confronting racism and microaggressions, and moving from allyship to co-conspiracy for racial justice.

BTB 006: COVID-19 & Female Empowerment

This workshop aims to open a dialogue about the gendered implications of COVID-19 (i.e. women-run businesses, domestic violence, women’s health), as well as learning to practice feminist-based self-care as a coping tool.

BTB 008: Elonz Wheelz!

A workshop designed to bring together skaters from all different types of wheels and all levels and abilities! From rollerblades to roller-skates to skateboards, this workshop will teach folks the basics of skating from four people who each utilize different types of wheels. For the more advanced skater, they will learn more challenging skills such as hard braking, turning, and different methods of speeding up and slowing down. The course is intended to be community building and bring different types of people together to learn a cool skill.

BTB 009: EMURGE: Come into Your Life with Persistence and Passion

Want to start doing all of those things you keep thinking about? Those things that excite you, or make you curious, it’s time to start making time for them.

What’s your passion? If it’s cooking, fitness, travel, or photography, this course will help incorporate these easily into your lifestyle. You’ll discover the benefits of doing what makes you happy, and learn from and meet others with minds just like you.

No one is going to encourage you to do what you want, more than yourself. College presents an opportunity to explore your passions, and learn about you, be more selfish! Schoolwork and social commitments should not impede your true passions.

Learn to do more with your daily routine, incorporate things that make you happy, as small as they may be. Getting that workout in before class, cooking a meal you love, grabbing your favorite coffee. It’s time to focus on yourself more. Tapping into your little things or passions will allow you to feel more fulfilled in other areas of your life, and overall make routines more enjoyable. You deserve a life doing what you love.

BTB 010: Introduction to Floral Design

This introductory floral design course will cover basic design principles such as rhythm, balance, proportion, and the most used color schemes in the field. In the first class, basic skills such as floral taping, flower wiring, and bow tying will be taught. In the second class, students will take the skills they learned from the first class and create their own single flower boutonniere using real greens, baby’s breath, and carnations or roses. In the final class, students will further expand on their floral skills by making their own wrist corsage using greens, baby’s breath, and multiple carnations or roses. After this course, participants will have beautiful boutonnieres and corsages, and understand design principles that can be applied not only to floral design, but to any design field.

BTB 011: KADNS (Pronounced like “cadence”) – Korean/American Dancing ‘N’ Singing

Student led workshop with focus on improving dance and vocal proficiency in the context of the modern music industry on a global scale. The major focus of KADNS will be K-Pop and American Pop/Hip-Hop. Looking for students interested in dancing and/or singing. Members of this workshop will learn choreography and vocals from one song of the K-Pop genre in a SOCIALLY DISTANCED setting.

BTB 012: Knitting 101

Want to learn a fun de-stressing activity? Want to make cool crafts for your friends and family? Want to achieve full Grandma status? Then this workshop is for you! We will start with the basics of knitting, so no need for prior experience (though if you have some, that’s cool too!). By the end of the workshop, you will have the skills to knit a variety of items like scarves, hats, and larger pieces.

BTB 013: Mama’s Kouzina

After a highly successful program last year, I’m bringing this program back in 2021!  My mom is an immigrant from Cyprus and has cooked her whole life. Since I could walk, I have been helping her in the kitchen. I have grown up with an innate love and passion for cooking; food brings people together and there is nothing I cherish more than cooking a meal and sharing it with friends and family. My plan is to share recipes, one to two per week, with my peers at Elon. My goal for the program is for students to walk away with recipes (different than those shared last year) and experience with cooking traditional Greek Cypriot cuisine, as well as a deeper love for food and recognition of the power food can have to connect us all.

BTB 014: Neo Futurism Theatre

This workshop will immerse students in exploring the art of neo futurist theatre. Neo futurism is a new style of theatre performance that entails no acting at all. You are who you are, you are where you are, and you are doing what you are doing. Participants will first learn about the format and types of plays, then they will begin to create plays, and finally it will all culminate in the performance of their own neo-futurist performance.

BTB 015: Please Remain Calm: Chernobyl Nuclear Crisis Simulation

Do you have what it takes to change the course of history? Want to participate first-hand in the espionage, geopolitics, and deception of the Cold War? Travel back in time with us, comrades, to Pripyat, Ukranian Soviet Socialist Republic, April 1986. In this Burst the Bubble program, each student will act as a leader of the Soviet Union (USSR) and work with the Politburo (other students) to prevent the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident from devolving into an irreversible global catastrophe. After an introduction session (or two) about the history of Chernobyl, the Cold War, and USSR, and how to participate in debate and write solutions, students will debate, compromise, and respond to the events of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in real time. Will the committee prove the strength of the Union amidst great struggle, or will the individual goals of each member spell the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union? Only you, comrade, truly know the answer.

Absolutely NO background experience with debate, politics, or history is required! All of the relevant details will be provided to participants at the beginning of the program. While by no means required, participants may find watching the Chernobyl limited series on HBO (all Elon students can get HBO Max for free!) helpful for context.

BTB 016: Random Acts of Kindness

Random Acts of Kindness 101: Join this course to embark in a journey where you can create your own Random Act of Kindness, explore the science behind positive deviance, and hopefully, change someone’s day.

BTB 017: Scatman’s World: Intersections of Jazz & Euro-Dance

Scatman John is best remembered as a semi-novelty act who struck gold overseas with an intriguing mix of vocal jazz scarring and euro-dance club jams. However, a deeper dive into his discography reveals a complex artistic approach filled with recurring motifs, a deep appreciation for jazz literature, and a vision for world peace and unity. In this workshop we will analyze his hit-making formula and make our own scat recordings.

BTB 018: The Evolution of the Dialogue on Sexual Violence through the Elon Student Handbook

Elon has always been a co-ed educational institution, but it has not always had direct dialogue in its student resource guides that addressed the possibility of gender-based violence and the repercussions if such circumstances were to occur. In this class, together we will analyze how the dialogue around sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape has changed over the course of a 100 year timeframe at Elon. To do this, we will look specifically at the student handbooks from 1920-2020, and discuss the evolution in this language as we see it. Throughout this class, together we will share how we feel about this progression, and if we feel as though it currently meets our expectations for students on this campus.

BTB 019: “Uke Can Do It!” All Levels Ukulele Jam Session

Are you in need of a good stress relief this J-term? Do you have access to a ukulele? Ukulele is a wonderful and relatively easy instrument to learn in a group setting. This workshop aims to provide ukulele practice and instruction to a group of varying skill levels. The first half of each class will be an opportunity to work individually and with others on specific skills that match your needs. Then we will come together to display what we learned and play a few songs as a full group. The course repertoire will largely be determined by your interests and all learning will be based on the specific set of skills you’d like to learn. If you do not have access to a ukulele, Elon has a few available for loan (please reach out to the instructor at ohaley@elon.edu to determine availability). If you’d like to buy your own before class, here is a list of quality budget Ukuleles. No experience necessary, all levels welcome!

BTB 020: Zoom Boom: Global Fusion Dance Music

In this program, we will create dance rhythms and beats via live Zoom events. This is a fun, no-stress tap-your-feet kind of music with the unexpected twist and shout. Get in the rhythm, rock, and roll, using keyboards, guitars, and other electro-instruments! No experience is necessary, however, active participation and an open mind to global music is desired. There will be opportunities for everyone to participate and celebrate rhythm and beat! We will use musical rhythms from around the world and bring musical diversity to Elon. Connect with your own musical instruments via Zoom. Ex: keyboard, drums, guitar, saxophone, etc.