Fitness and active-living themed clubs abound at U of C

By Kristy Koehler, September 20 2018 —

Students searching for clubs to join and clubs vying for the attention of first-year students packed MacHall for the fall Clubs Week. Interest from new students was high as the booths were busier than ever. Club executives like Alexa Forigo noticed the heightened interest-level.

“The difference between Clubs Week this year and years past has been pretty staggering,” said Forigo, an executive from the Greek, Roman and Religious Studies club. “There’s a noticeable amount of new students who are eager to get involved on campus. We’ve had more sign-ups than ever.”

This year, clubs were grouped according to theme. Academic clubs were in one location, charity and activist clubs in another, and sports-themed and active-living clubs shared their own section of tables. Students interested in sports and wellness have plenty to choose from when it comes to campus clubs, with groups dedicated to skateboarding, badminton, dancing and even quidditch.

One of the clubs with an always-packed booth was the ‘Do You Even’ fitness club. President Jolene Wong says the club saw a need to create a community around fitness and to bridge the gap between new and experienced gym users.

“We know getting in the gym and staying on top of your workouts can be tough as a student,” she said. “We’re busy and there’s a lot going on, so our goal is to give you the tools to help stay on track and reach your fitness goals.”

The club runs boot camps and a Facebook group where members share workout tips and hold each other accountable to their goals. Wong also cited the importance of mental health in fitness.

“A lot of the reason why people stick with [fitness] is they recognize there’s a lot of mental health benefits, especially as a student who’s stressed,” Wong said. “It’s a great way to relieve some of that stress, meet some people and do something good for your body.”

Do You Even is having a meet and greet in SA107 from 6–8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27. Students of all fitness levels are welcome to join. Check out the club’s website for more information.

The Students’ Union maintains a list of active clubs on their website. Prospective members can sort the list by theme in order to look for sports or wellness clubs.