Author: Jennifer De La Rosa

4 Tips to Boost Your Happiness

Practice gratitude. It’s easy to get caught up in, and even addicted to, personal concerns, dramas, and defeats. Instead, focus on all positive things. Half the world lives on less than $2 a day. Most of us have cozy beds to sleep in, showers and baths, food in the fridge, cars to drive, and more stuff than we need. We live in an amazing state of freedom and our life choices abound. There are people who love you and need you. Remind yourself every day that your glass of life isn’t just half full, it’s flowing over.

Tune out negative noise. While you can’t avoid all the negative people and situations in your life, you can surely remove yourself from a lot of it. Turn off the TV, avoid hate radio like the plague, move gently away from constantly negative friends and acquaintances, and seek out more peaceful environments in your leisure time.
Look for miracles. You will find miracles in all the daily, often mundane aspects of your life: the wind singing through the trees, the song of a bird, a blossoming flower, the smile of a child. Pay attention, be fully in the moment, and the miracles will find you.
Formulate a mantra. Think of a simple phrase that affirms your journey towards greater happiness, like “I see the best in everyone” or “I am filled with joy.” Find what resonates with you and sing it to yourself silently all the time. Remember that the happier you are, the more you lift up everyone around you … and everyone around them.

– See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/dont-worry-be-happy-4-ways-to-spread-happiness#sthash.B7aC4X06.R51MqOSy.dpuf

Be Brave and Shave

For a second year, Mason’s Ice Hockey is participating in a fundraising event for Children’s National Health System in its fight to beat pediatric cancer. From November 1^st through December 13^th the team expects to raise $20,000 through ticket sales, raffles for autographed sports memorabilia, silent auction, donations, and sponsorships. Before, during and after the December 13th Commonwealth Cup game between Mason and Virginia Commonwealth University, players will symbolically shave their heads to join children who have lost their hair from chemotherapy.

Players from Mason Ice Hockey visited Children’s National Health System on October 17, 2014 to get a first-hand look at the advancements medicine has made in fighting pediatric cancer. Not only did the players get a chance to see the site of the future Healing Garden which will turn a 7,200-square-foot gravel rooftop into a healing outdoor space, they also visited several other areas of the hospital. They began their tour in the Diabetes Care Complex, visited the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, saw the state-of-the-art Pain Medicine Care Complex – one of the few pain clinics in the world, and ended their tour on the Hem/Onc floor – where the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders is located. This floor houses both the inpatient and outpatient areas for children fighting cancer.

The players brought t-shirts and pucks to distribute to the kids on the floor. According to Megan Trenery, Development Coordinator, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, “Because the guys were wearing their jerseys, the kids were especially excited! The players made sure that all the kids got signed shirts and pucks – it truly was a sight to see the patients smiling and excited about their signed shirts. I also think that the players were really able to connect with our mission to end childhood cancer while visiting the Hem/Onc unit.” Trenery commented that several parents thanked the players for making sure that their child received a signed shirt. She added, “It’s really nice to see members of the community coming to visit the kids and planning events to help our cancer program. Treatments are long and hard for both kids and parents – and visits like the George Mason team bring smiles to patients, families and care providers alike.” Nick Blake, a junior in Applied Information Technologies, says, “It made us all realize what we were raising money for.”

Coach Hyjek, Head Coach for Mason Ice Hockey since 2010, says, “I’m a big believer in giving back to the community. This event costs us nothing to do. Prince William Ice Center donates the ice, the officials donate their time, Hair Cuttery employees donate their time and Glory Days participates for free.” According to Hyjek, this is a full team effort. All the players take the fundraiser seriously and have their own web pages where donations can be made to each specific player. To donate, go to http://childrensnational.donordrive.com/.

Be Brave and Shave has support from organizations in the DC area including local police, firefighters, private schools, sports teams, and patient families in order to raise funds and awareness for the cancer research program at Children’s National Health System. George Mason joins their efforts to bring attention to this important endeavor.

Game information:

December 13, 2014 2:40pm at Prince William Ice Center
Tickets ($10) are available now from a member of Mason Ice Hockey, at each home game at the ticket sales desk, or via email [email protected].
Free shuttle bus from the RAC at 2pm to Prince William Ice Center to the first 35 students
Game can be seen live via crossicefeed.com

For more information about the Mason Ice Hockey team, or to make a donation, visit www.gmuicehockey.com.

Mason Recreation Students Attend Suncoast Flag Football Official’s Workshop

In August, four Mason Intramural students attended the 4^th Annual Suncoast Flag Football Official’s Workshop in Tampa Bay, Florida. Julian Felder, Luigi Fernandez, Austin Post and Will Adams, along with students from other universities, attended the workshop to learn from some of the best flag football clinicians in the business. While there, they trained on Saturday and most of Sunday, but they also had some time for fun.

According to Luigi and Julian, they decided to go because they thought it would be a good learning experience. Luigi, a junior majoring in Sports Management, says that he learned the basics and the mechanics of refereeing flag football. He says, “I believe I was fairly successful this season because I attended the clinic.” Julian, a senior also in Sports Management and a referee supervisor this year, says that he learned how to teach others to referee. Austin, a sophomore studying Criminology, says he felt honored to be able to go and to learn from the best of the best. He states, “The experience was great! I feel like after attending the beginner course I came back knowing what to do.”

Austin describes the after-hours bowling event the clinic put on as at time to meet other students who also attended the workshop. While socializing, they had time to find out how intramural programs are run at other schools. Before returning home, the four got to visit Clearwater Beach and do some indoor surfing.

They all agree they would recommend the clinic to others. Julian says, “I’d recommend it for both new and returning referees because they cater to exactly what participants are interested in.” Luigi agrees. He says, “It felt like a professional business trip. I went feeling uneasy. But when I left, I felt confident in my abilities.”

Trap and Skeet Club Dominates Eastern Regional Championships

Mason Recreation Kicks Off The Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge

Bump ball "Bubble Soccer" Fall 2014 George Mason Recreation

Your eyes did not deceive you this past Saturday night, there were indeed humans running and rolling around in giant inflatable plastic bubbles on the RAC field! Mason Recreation partnered with The Patriot Activities Council and BumpBall to bring you hours of Bubble Soccer. The latest twist on a classic game involves suiting up in gigantic bubbles that cover your entire body with the exception of your legs.

BumpBall is played on a smaller field than traditional soccer, but the game is essentially the same—get the ball into the opposing team’s goal, which is easier said than done when you’re bubbling and bouncing around. Participants showed up well before the official start time to reserve the first game time and played long into the chilly evening. Since there was only a single playing field, there were many other activities to keep the players warm while they waited for their start time.

Amongst those activities, of course, keeping with Mason tradition, was an opportunity to score yet another coveted free t-shirt. Mason Recreation actually brought BumpBall onto campus on Saturday night in hopes to promote the Outdoor Nation On Campus Challenge. Students that registered for the challenge and submitted entries on their mobile devices were instantly awarded with Mason Rec’s special edition t-shirt and grab bag. Once participants were outfitted with enough Mason Rec swag, they kept warm by playing corn hole and KanJam. Later in the evening, there was even a break out Zumba session along the sideline of the BumpBall game. Participants were reminded to upload all of these great activities onto their freshly created Outdoor Nation accounts in order to gain points for themselves and George Mason University as a team. If you forgot to upload your pictures, you still have time! Outdoor Nation rules state that the activity must have taken place within the past three days.

For more information about the On Campus Challenge, check out www.oncampuschallenge.org and be sure to register with GMU to help us (and you!) win some awesome prizes! Stay tuned for upcoming events from Mason Recreation. We started off our Outdoor Nation with human sized bubbles, who knows what we might think of next!

Go on Outdoor Adventures with Mason Recreation

The Outdoor Campus Challenge is Coming

The only school in the group without an established Outdoor Adventure program… underdogs weren’t cool until George Mason University hit the scene and in 2 weeks we will launch and compete against schools across the nation for the title of “most outdoorsy campus.” Also one individual will gain the title as “most outdoorsy person,” many will participate, many will benefit, but only one campus will win $50,000 and an amazing outdoor internship for one lucky student. Get ready George Mason University for the Outdoor Campus Challenge!

Here’s how you get involved: