Students gathered on Wednesday, Jan. 31 to let their creative juices flow and collage vision boards in the 193 Coffeehouse for the second installment of Sip, Snip and Create.
The University of Rhode Island’s Alcohol and Other Drug Education group and Counseling Center ran the collaging event last week after their first collaging event last semester filled the coffeehouse and amassed positive feedback from its participants.
“We’ve met a lot of people that came last time,” said Catherine Calise, a substance abuse specialist at URI’s Counseling Center. “They had a good time last time so that feels really good.”
The event began at 5 p.m. and ran until 6:30 p.m., giving students plenty of time to settle in and curate their vision boards for the new year. Students gathered around tables, on couches and in circles on the floor. With canvases, magazines and art supplies provided, students were given complete creative direction with their products.
“Not talking sometimes and working with your hands, thinking of different things that you gravitate towards image-wise, word-wise, I think that it’s pretty cathartic,” said Arielle Sherman, a specialist with Alcohol and Other Substances Prevention Services.
The event was held at 193 Coffeehouse due to the coziness of the space, according to Sherman.
“It was nice that it doesn’t feel very academic-focused,” she said. “We’re not having it in a classroom that we’re renting for a meeting.”
The first installment of Sip, Snip and Create was held during the recent finals week, offering students the chance to wind down and take a break from the stress of exams. Last week’s event was held in the second week of classes for the same purpose.
“It was like a de-stresser, it worked before so I had to go again,” said Caroline Ashing, a second-year student who attended both Sip, Snip and Create events. “It was free, fun and they played good music.”
Even though fewer students signed up for the event on URInvolved than the first event that was held, the coffeehouse grew to become just as full.
Ashing used the time to create her vision board, including pictures of fruit and Harry Styles, and said that she wanted to make it random and funky.
“I was there with all my friends, I invited them all, and they loved it too,” Ashing said.
Sherman and Calise both run a group called Considering Change, where they thought of the idea for Sip, Snip and Create and brought it to fruition. The pair wished to find options for the group, outside of meetings, to engage in different activities. Considering Change encourages students to join their meetings if they are sober-curious, meaning that they are wishing to cut down on substances or considering the role that substances play in their lives.
“It doesn’t have to be a go-sober meeting, it’s just about meeting yourself where you’re at, if you want to change habits,” Sherman said.
These meetings are held every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union for any students interested. More information about Considering Change can be found at web.uri.edu/counseling/groups.
More opportunities for students to gather at 193 Coffeehouse will be posted on their Instagram page, @193coffeehouse, for anybody interested in attending future events.