so from the googling i've done, after installing SKSE and putting it into skyrim data folder, all of the SKSE functions should be available from inside the creation kit.

however, this is not so.

is there a way to activate the new SKSE functions?

SKSE's changes are to the papyrus scripts. If you installed them correctly you can use them in your scripts and the CK will compile them normally. Make sure you got the skse .pex's into /skyrim/data/scripts and the .psc's into /skyrim/data/scripts/source

*solved* had to reinstall and manually copy the files over just as you said. thank you