Zine Workshop: December Cookies, Coffee, and Conversation
by Emily Greenhaw '26 and Julia Zangre '26
On December 4th the English Department hosted its second Cookie, Coffee, and Conversation, led by Professors Krithika Vanchali and Noël Ingram. This month’s topic was zines! Students and faculty could join the professors in discussing the purpose of zines, browsing through archives of zines, and learning how to make their own! For those unfamiliar with the concept of zines, the small, pamphlet-esque publication is used to describe or inform others of an idea that one may have. It uses a combination of images and descriptions to inform others of informal and formal concepts. Ideas could vary from teaching someone how to change their tire to explaining why they love their pets to radical feminist issues. The beauty of a zine is that there is no right or wrong way to make one so the possibilities are endless. Professors Vanchali and Ingram brought in a plethora of craft supplies to aid students and faculty in creating something that pertained to their creative interests.
Throughout the hour and a half this group was together, new faces came in and out. Some came to create their own zine while others popped in to simply discover what a zine was. Casual conversation flowed while everyone worked vigilantly on their zines. As people reached for colorful pens, various stickers, textured paper, and washi tape, it was evident that no two zines were identical in appearance or content. Some topics that were chosen were “How to Get into the Christmas Spirit,” “Uses of Ube,” “How to Decorate Your House,” “Why Noah Kahan Makes Me Cry Tears of Joy,” and many more. Some did not even have a specific idea for their zine, they just enjoyed using a variety of stickers and images to create a random, yet thought out, creation.
Those present said that the time that was spent creating their zine reminded them of how relaxing crafts are. A student remarked that the zine workshop was a great way to take a break from her final exam studying and put her focus on something more stress-free. If allowed, the majority of those in the workshop could have easily stayed for at least an hour longer to not only finish their zine but create new ones. People even considered making them as Christmas gifts for their friends and family. Students and faculty left feeling relaxed, proud of their new creations, and having a newly acquired skill of how to make zines on their own. Overall, the English Department could not have asked for a better Cookies, Coffee, and Conversation, and we cannot wait to host more events like this one in the future.