Students are always looking for a new way to stay healthy. Especially since the “freshman fifteen” slowly turns into “budding alcoholism” in some circles. That’s just not good for the system. After seeing this slow decline into a lazy-boy recliner, I just couldn’t stand it anymore. It became my mission to find a new way to keep this campus in shape. That is why when my friend texted me with no thought or effort on my part about “Zumba” in the Wellness Center, I was mildly interested.

For those of you who don’t know what Zumba is, I kinda don’t know how to describe it without some of you dropping the newspaper where it lies. Gone like the wind or me trying to read the newspaper. If it’s that big a deal just skip to the end I guess? Basically, it’s the dancer-cize type thing. Think new age Jazzercise if that means anything to you.

I went into this for my first time last week with a few friends and it was an experience. Normally there’s a bit of a gender gap, believe it or not, but if you have people to go with it’s nothing. Our group had 11 guys. All of us with a can-do attitude and no idea what the hell was happening. This led to the second obstacle for me personally: my absolute lack of coordination. Luckily I carved a healthy bubble around myself, sort of an “enter at your own risk” deal.

The music plays, the instructor dances, she goes every which way, you try to keep up, you fail, you laugh, you cry, you have some fun along the way. You get the idea. You can tell who’s been in there before, following along perfectly, and the people like me spinning the opposite direction as everyone else. Both are fine, one just has to put up with the other.

Overall, I think everyone had a good time. It’s something different, maybe a bit outside of your comfort zone. That or it’s very much in your comfort zone in which case you don’t need an article to tell you to do Zumba. While I’m not sure if it’ll be a regular thing in my life, it got me moving and acting in a way I normally wouldn’t. No regrets.

There are a couple things you need to be prepared for. For example, no matter how spread out you start you will clump together once the instructor goes all the way to one side of the packed room and you discover there are about eight other people between you and your physical fitness goals. Along the same vein, there really needs to be a code word for, “Hey guys, big moving coming in this direction, try not to get crushed.” Really though, it’s fine. Doesn’t take away from the overall experience.

So hey, if you want to find a new way to work out or you just need something to do, maybe try Zumba. It’s in the Wellness Center right here on campus and you’ll maybe get a good time or at least a chuckle out of it. And if some of the guys out there are a bit worried about their manhood, try to remember it’s not leprosy. Nothing is gonna fall off.