Recreation and Wellness with Grace

Transcript

Now let’s go over to the brand new student Recreation Center and meet up with Grace. She’s been involved in undergraduate student government and writes for the undergraduate political review. And she’s gonna tell us how her passion for fitness helped define her experience at UCONN. Grace, how’s it going?

Thank you, Alex. I came to UCONN because I believe in the power of public education. And I wanted to experience a diverse campus environment. As a Political Science major, I am driven by the desire to make change in the world through representation and advocacy. Through my studies, I learned that barriers ahead of us can only be broken if we work together. This idea of unity comes in many forms at UCONN.

In my time here, I’ve been involved in many clubs and organizations, all centered around a common cause or interest. I’ve served in the undergraduate student government, enrolled an accelerated master’s program for public administration, and I also write for the undergraduate political review. I believe that you can’t have a healthy mind without a healthy body. In addition to my major related extracurriculars I also joined the UCONN Brazil Jiu-Jitsu club and UCONN Barbell, a club dedicated to the sport of power lifting. Trust me, I’m not the only one on campus who loves to get fit. With over 35 club sports teams and numerous intramural sports leagues, so many Huskies like to stay healthy.

Personally, when I feel like pumping iron I like to hit the campus gym, which is also where I work. To myself and many others, UCONN recreation is like a second home. Being active is such a huge part of campus culture. You can tell just by how so many students enter the Student Recreation Center forming a line even before we open. UCONN recreation has something for everyone. Group fitness classes, a climbing center and my personal favorite, the squat rack area. We also have two pools, an indoor track, and our own spin studio. After every workout I need to refill my body. So I have to hit up Mango for a smoothie. My go-to order is a chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie with extra protein of course.

In addition to our clubs, sports teams, and the gym, students find so many other ways to practice wellness on campus. During the warm weather, sunrise yoga on Horsebarn Hill is an absolute must. The student health and wellness department also host many events that encourage students to practice mental wellbeing on campus, such as meditation Mondays. And during finals season, therapy dogs are brought into the library to give our hardworking students a much needed break. Here at UCONN, there are so many ways to become a healthy Husky. Back to you, Alex.

Thanks, Grace, all of that sounds so amazing. I love the idea of doing sunrise yoga on Horsebarn Hill, but I’ll probably leave the Jiu-Jitsu to you. Grace, you really showed how the pursuit of excellence at UCONN isn’t limited to the classroom or lab, but takes in the entire student experience. Thanks again for that.