Aly's Blog

Chilly air, jackets, boots, and everything pumpkin is the beginning of fall, and, the most anticipated weekend of the year, Mountain Day. Every Mountain Day for me is a new experience and a cherished memory. This could be my last Mountain day; I’m planning a semester abroad in Australia next fall, so this Mountain Day had to be unforgettable! My preparations began quite early, I arranged for my best friend Jordan, and my family to come to Berry, had a zombie make-up trial run, trained for the 5K and studied.  A lot.

The first day of Mountain Day weekend finally arrived.  Friday was a whirlwind. An hour before the Olympics I slapped on some latex, makeup and blood to produce a zombie effect for my team "Alternatives" or those in non-traditional housing units.  Our theme was, “The Walking Dead.” The week had been exhausting and this make up and effects perfectly suited how many of us felt. I participated in a few events and mingled about with friends afterwards.

My best friend, Jordan, arrived after the Olympics. We had dinner, then watched the Volleyball game.  We laughed at the sideline entertainment and tried to serve some balls over the net during half-time. My balls didn't make it over the net, but she is an awesome volleyball player and did much better than I did. Towards the end of the night, we saw the marvelous Mountain Day Talent Show.

At 6 a.m. the next day, I was up and ready for the Mountain Day 5K. I had never run 3 miles before but I finished in 31:08. Halfway through the race an older woman ran up beside me. She told me she had just turned 70 in May and graduated from Berry in 1964, I replied “I just turned 21 and am dying!”  As we ran, she told me about the construction of Herman while she was a student here, while I struggled to maintain her pace. She’s my inspiration for life.

Marthapalooza is one of my favorite nights at Berry! The insanely long lines make it impossible to get on every ride but standing in line makes for great social banter.

What’s better than friends and free cotton candy? I had no time to sit around and relive the activities because I had four tests and a paper due the week after. Dressing up like a zombie and feeling like one all went hand in hand. I think Berry should instill a no test policy the week after Mountain Day, or at least have Monday off to recuperate from the weekend activities. Unfortunately, this has not been initiated yet, but I’m proud to say I survived the week and finally recovered from my Mountain Day Hangover.

-Kanye West

These past few weeks have been fitness focused. Growing up I was always a NARP, (non-athletic regular person). I danced for a few years and took karate but I didn’t consider those sports; dancing was a hobby and I earned my belts by being cute. Needless to say, the gym was never in my vocabulary. Oddly enough, the Cage was one of the deciding factors in choosing Berry. My first year I reversed the “freshman 15” by losing that weight; the gym became my new obsession. Unfortunately, when time becomes scarce the gym is the first aspect of life to go. This year, I strive to make fitness more of a priority in my life.  

I had a saying about exercise, “I never run unless a bear is chasing me…which is never.” Ironically, I am now registered to run a 5K in the Mountain Day race. A year ago/last month my first thought about a 5K was death. With encouraging friends, dedication, and very very sore calves I feel excited and prepared for it!

Exercise promotes better sleep, improves your mood and boosts energy. Berry cultivates a healthy, fit atmosphere by offering a plethora of opportunities. The Cage offers Zumba, yoga, water workouts, kettlebells; we have almost 40 miles of hiking, bike and horse trails, not to mention the vast spectrum of intramural sports. Any Any has a new accountability program, Weapons of Mass Reduction, for those getting into shape and those maintaining their fitness. For smartphone users, there’s an app for that. I use Nike Running and My Fitness Pal to track my runs and log my daily food intake. 

Click here to check out all the cage has to offer!

Pictured with Yoga instructor, Dr. Julie Pynn at power yoga (Wednesdays at 6:30), one of my favorites!

Exercise makes endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill their husbands. They just don’t.

~Elle Woods, Legally Blonde.