While it’s the end of January and the beginning of February, it should not be the end of New Year’s resolutions. The Health and Wellness Center sponsored an event on Jan. 24 to encourage students to keep their New Year’s Resolutions. Carol Fritz, a second-year communications and German major, sponsored the event through the student Health and Wellness Center. The center wanted to promote awareness of alcohol. One way to promote awareness was to have students pour water into a Solo cup, guessing how many fluid ounces go into a standard beer, a glass of wine and a shot of liquor.
The water from the cup would be poured into a measuring cup to determine how close the student was to guessing the amount that goes into a standard drink. This shows how informed they are on the amount of alcohol they may be consuming. Typical drinks are 12 fl. oz for beer, five fl. oz in a wine glass and 1.5 fl. oz in a shot.
Aims of the activity are to have students avoid black-outs and from consuming too much alcohol. If students are going to drink alcohol, the center aims to educate students about alcohol and being aware of the effects of alcohol.
Fritz is also a member of the German Club. German Club members were teaching students common phrases in German. Some people want to learn a second language, or to know some useful phrases. At their table, the members wrote out common phrases such as “good day,” “good night,” “good bye,” how to say your name, “thank you” and “you are welcome.”
The club has events to help other students comprehend the language. They also discuss German related events and watch films. The members of the club attend “Klatsch,” a coffee shop that is open to the public, most of which are fluid or native German speakers.
Relay for Life encourages students to quit smoking, a common resolution. They promote awareness of different types of cancer. Around campus they hang posters with facts about cancer, including how to prevent certain cancers and how to self-screen for cancer.
Many of their programs benefit cancer patients with donations from Ronald McDonald House. The members visit Hope Lodge and hospitals to play with kids who have cancer. They are working on forming a program that allows them to go to a home that has a parent with cancer and the members will play with the kids in the house for the day.
Relay for Life is most known for their 24-hour walk. This year the event will be April 16 and 17, see their website for details. They also participate in the Great America Smoke-out as they post fliers on campus about awareness of cigarette smoke.
New Year’s resolutions are one reason that gyms become crowded again as many people want to lose weight or get in shape starting with the New Year. At Sykes Student Union, a gym and a fitness center offer programs to undergraduates, graduate students and faculty.
Prescription programs allow students to make their own work out program by doing the activities they choose. Fitness monitors make sure machines are clean and reinforce the rules. They make sure people are dressed appropriately in sneakers, shirts with sleeves and jeans are not permitted. The monitors assist people by spotting when someone is lifting weights. All fitness monitors are CPR and first-aid certified.
Instead of going to the gym for the tred mill, classes are offered through Group Fitness with a membership fee. The membership allows students to attend any classes offered, including toning, Zumba and cardio classes, such as kickboxing. The group fitness is also offering “body-pump” which is their newest program.
Body pump allows for a person to adjust the bar weight, works on every muscle and the work is choreographed by an instructor. Brochures can be found in the gym more information on the classes offered.
Another type of resolutions that go along with exercising is eating healthy. Student Dietetic is an organization open to only nutrition majors and minors as the activities concentrate on student’s career choices.
The members participate in community activities such as walk for hunger in Philadelphia, diabetes walk, canned food drives and volunteering at the YMCA. Members also work in hospitals as volunteers to build a relationship that they can include on their resumes. This experience prepares the students for their careers.
Jayme Richards, one member of the Student Dietetic, published a cookbook, with recipes from the members of the club. The group members think the general cookbook is a fun present. To purchase a copy, see Professor Subach.
Although the semester ends in the beginning of May, students can continue their passions and keep their resolutions through the summer time.
Ginger Rae Dunbar is a fourth-year student majoring in English with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at RD655287@wcupa.edu.