Rachel Cress

The infamous freshmen 15 may be a little less common for some students this year.

In an effort to increase health awareness on campus, Brown Hall has recently become home to the Healthy Lifestyles community, handing over its previous Living/Learning Community theme to Mathews Hall. Up until the 2006 fall semester, Mathews was known as the substance-free hall.

In addition to adopting the substance-free policy, Brown is encouraging a well-balanced lifestyle for students.

“There’s definitely a different feel to it this year,” said Joanna Davis, Brown’s residence hall director.

Students are also encouraged to make use of the dining options available to them, while making an effort to eat three balanced meals a day. Vending machines will still be available to students, but they now have healthier options, such as juice or Powerade instead of pop.

“We’re not trying to eliminate soda completely,” Davis said. “It just might not be the best idea to be dependent on sixteen of them a day.”

Brown’s resident assistants are also taking an active roll to encourage healthy living habits.

“There’s more of a focus on healthier lifestyles, not just substance-free lifestyles,” said fourth-floor RA Suzie Watts. “We’re encouraging healthy sleep patterns, good study habits, a balanced diet, exercise, things like that.”

Brown Hall students were encouraged to attend the promotional free week of classes at the HPER center. A few of the numerous programs offered included land aerobics, water aerobics and spinning.

HPER classes are available to students year-round for a fee of either $70 a semester or $20 a month. However, a facility membership, which normally costs $35 a month, is free of charge to both students and faculty.

While the HPER is widely popular among SDSU students, some are instead drawn to the Powershop Gym. Located in downtown Brookings, the Powershop Gym offers students many of the same fitness opportunities the HPER has, but some students feel it’s less busy, therefore more desirable.

“Nobody wants to work out with the football team,” said Evan Delaney, a sophomore music and German major. “When you’re 180 pounds and you’re trying to do reps next to a 360-pound lineman, it’s just not fun.”

Many students, like senior psychology major Laura Klein, choose the HPER out of convenience.

“It’s nice because I live close to campus so I can just walk there and back, and I don’t have to spend money on a membership,” she said.

#1.884337:1556942259.jpg:heathlyhabits01.jpg:SDSU now offers more choices for healthy living on campus.: