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A fun and healthy way to get through “crunch time”
By Benjamin Nestler
Whalesong Staff
Most of us started
this semester with the idea that we were going to get to class on
time and go every day, exercise, eat right, sleep right, and feel
good about ourselves. With the onslaught of midterms comes the true
test of those new-year resolutions. Fitting these goals into a workable
schedule hopefully is possible, but when you’re faced with
the prospect of trimming something out of your schedule, is it the
exercise that goes first? I would like to convince you that this
is the worst thing you can do for your body!
Director of Student Activities, Tish Griffin said, “Right
now, when you really need it, a regular workout will kick your health
into gear during hard stress times.” Working out actually increases
endorphins in your body, which is a natural pain reliever and stress
reducer. It would be more beneficial to sleep a half hour less and
go to the club, hitting the weights or jumping on a treadmill.
One student, Will Andrews, said he makes sure to go
to the club at least five days a week. As he put it, “You won’t
have anything except your body for the rest of your life, so take
care of it.” Although most of us don’t have the time to
go that often, the Alaska Club is open seven days a week. For full-time
students, UAS has an agreement to allow use Monday through Friday
from 1-3 p.m., and 8:45-10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday is available
from noon-2 p.m. and 7:30-9:30 p.m. An upgrade to full membership
costs only $168 per semester and is an awesome investment. The club
is available Monday through Friday, from 4:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Weekend use is available from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Stacey Farley, student, said “I go to play racquetball, run,
lift weights, and use the sauna; I try to go three times a week.”
Another student, Mike Rolfe, said he goes to play racquetball and
lift weights whenever he has have free time. One complaint about
the student membership that was mentioned was the fact that the
group fitness classes are unavailable to students because they are
never scheduled during student hours.
According to Alaska Club employee Heather Johnson, the
group fitness classes are only available to those students who pay
for the membership upgrade, or full members. Johnson did say that
the membership for students enrolled in the fall semester goes until
Jan. 12, 2003, which is the day before spring semester starts. So
if you are here for Christmas break, your workout schedule does
not need to be interrupted for the holiday season.
When asked about expanding hours available, Griffin
said additional hours have been purchased by student government
in years past, but usage did not increase. Visits in October of
last year numbered a little over 900, compared with 477 in December
by students. That is why it is so important to get into a routine
or a schedule and do your best to stick to it. Even a little exercise
will boost those energy levels.
The relationship UAS has with the Alaska Club is not
expected to continue with the opening of the new Recreation Center
in 2005. UAS has had this agreement with the Alaska Club since the
early 1980s and no other clubs in Juneau have offered such a comprehensive
array of workout equipment and space. This agreement costs us as
students almost $27,000 a year, which comes out of the money collected
from the student governance fee.
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