Category: Announcements

Home for the Holidays!

You can’t wait to sleep in your own bed and to get a home-cooked meal from Mom! Seeing your family and friends sounds like a dream! But keep in mind that you’ve been on your own for several months and going back home could be a strain on you and on those you love. Keep the following tips in mind when going home for the holidays.

Offer to help. While your parents may be anxious to have you back home and to “take care” of their college student, be sure to chip in and help with things like laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. This will show them that you’re growing into a responsible adult and will provide everyone with a more shared holiday experience.

Honor your family’s time. Your personal schedule is more than likely different from your parent’s. While home on break, your parents may still be working. Offer to run errands while they’re at work so they have more time to spend with you while you’re home. Also, be sure to keep things quiet at night so that your family can get their needed sleep for work as well as for all the family festivities.

Honor your friend’s time. You’ll want to visit with friends who went off to their own colleges and with those who stayed at home. Remember that those who have been away at school need to spend time with their families too. Be sure to coordinate so that everyone has ample time to spend with all their loved ones.

Maintain, or begin a good diet. This can be challenging during a holiday season filled with cookies, candies, and rich holiday foods, but try to minimize indulging in these foods every day. By eating a mostly healthy diet during the holidays, you’ll decrease the chance you’ll gain holiday weight and you might even decrease your weight since you’ll be eating Mom’s home cooked meals!

Get lots of rest. While tempting to stay up every night with your friends and family, be sure to recover from the hard work you did during the Fall Semester and to prepare for the Spring Semester. Not only will rest allow you to clear your mind and to get ready for Spring, but rest is critical in maintaining good health during the cold and flu season.

Going home for the holidays can be as amazing as you hope it is. Remember to pitch in and be a contributing member of the family. Mom and Dad will appreciate your assistance and will be proud of the young adult you are!

2014 – 2015 Winter Break Hours

Mason Recreation Adopts Two Families for the Holidays! by Alison Peterson

Mason Recreation’s staff is kicking off the holiday season by participating in the campus-wide Adopt-A-Family Initiative. Inspired by last year’s successful project, Mason students and wage staff put together their own Adopt-A-Family project and volunteered their time and energy to raising enough money to sponsor their own child. Together they raised money to sponsor five children this holiday season.

Mason Rec’s full time staff raised $650, allowing them to purchase necessary items such as coats, sweaters, and gloves. And with their extra money, they were able to purchase the children’s wish-list items including a bicycle, an easy-bake oven, dolls, art kits, and gift-cards. The student / wage group were able to buy their sponsored child an iPod! Together, they were able to make five children’s Christmas wishes come true.

Lee Ann Houston, who oversees the Mason Rec Adopt-A-Family program, said that “Helping to put a smile on a child is a really great feeling.” She added that the more she does it the more she wants to do it. Mason Rec hopes to see the campus-wide program spread even further within the department, and hopes that more students will join the initiative next year.

The Gentlemen of Zumba!

What started out as a joke between friends has turned into a hobby and passion for two Mason students. Julius Boateng and Jordan Boyd found themselves in a Zumba class after taking a bet amongst their friends. Mason Recreation had the chance to catch up with Julius and Jordan to talk about their experiences in Mason’s Zumba classes.

Both Julius and Jordan work out differently outside of Zumba classes: Julius plays basketball and claims that the Zumba classes are just as intense as a basketball-training workout. Jordan enjoys lifting weights, usually before or after his Zumba class. Jordan also suffered a knee injury this summer, and believes that Zumba has helped him to build back strength in his recovery.

Despite their differences, both students agree, Zumba is an equal substitute for other high intensity workouts. Julius explains, however, that there is one difference, “Zumba doesn’t feel like a workout, it’s just pure enjoyment.” Jordan uses Zumba to add cardio into his workout regiment; he says that running on a treadmill is way too boring compared to these classes.

Julius and Jordan admit that in most of their Zumba classes, they are the minority. They say their classes are mostly women, but this doesn’t intimidate them. If anything, they say it makes it more fun. Julius explains, “I was comfortable, dancing is an exciting activity. It makes it easy to relax and just be yourself.”

Julius explains that there are no perquisites to Zumba, you can always go at your own pace. Jordan encourages everyone, “Jump right into ZUMBA!”

For the remainder of the Fall 2014 semester, Zumba is offered as follows:

Aquatic and Fitness Center Group Exercise Room

Zumba 15314553575_323f56d1ba_z

Monday 6:30-7:25pm

Tuesday 12:15-1:15pm

Wednesday 5:30-6:25pm

Thursday 6:30-7:25pm

Friday 5:30-6:25

Zumba Toning

Tuesday 6:30-7:25pm

Thursday 2:00-3:00pm

**Zumba Toning is a combination of cardio dance moves and dynamic resistance exercises using 2-3lb weights to give you an overall awesome, redefining, total body workout.**

RAC Multipurpose Room #4 (Yoga/Pilates Room)

Zumba

Wednesday and Thursday 5:15-6:15pm

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.”

Click and see when we are open over winter break!