HCC’s Wellness Ambassadors have done it again. It looks to have been their personal mission to go out with a bang this semester. Among their events for Meet a Friend Cafe, Flu Clinic and UTM Baked Sale, the most popular crowd pleaser seemed to be the MoveU Skate. Just as last year, this event was held in the RAWC’s Gym A/B last Friday, November 30 and attracted a decent influx of people, rushing in enthusiastically to take a look around. It was the giant synthetic ice rink amidst the gymnasium that caught the eye of everyone walking by. Although it looked like real ice, the rink was assembled like a jigsaw puzzle that morning out of synthetic plastic that people could use real ice skates to skate on. This rink was also encircled by various tables to entice people into further interactions after they were done skating. It was a clever design to simulate a landscape of winter wonderland. HCC also provided rentals for people to check out ice skates at no cost.
One of the interactive tables was a self-serve beverage station where people could pour themselves a delicious cup of hot chocolate and drizzle it with marshmallows, chocolate chips, mints or candy sprinkles. The table right next to it was a station that provided ready-made gingerbread houses and people could come in to contribute their two cents to its design, using the frosting, peppermint or other treats for its decoration. These were two quite alluring tables placed strategically at the far end of the gym to have people meander through every other table before getting their hands on a steaming cup of hot chocolate. And the journey would have been totally worth it. Right next to the beverages was a ping pong table. This sport is exceedingly addictive after its initial period of acclimation and as apparent from any visitor to this station, it was quite easy to get lost in the mesmerizing back and forth ricochets. Remarkably enough, HCC also had a legitimately fancy-looking popcorn machine that popped kernels, as people scooped out their shares for a tasty snack. Another awesome feature was a Kahoot game projected on a large screen monitor. This table was geared towards educational content on avoiding or treating common colds during these cold months of winter. Right next to it was also a photobooth with a decorative background that people could use to fulfill their daily crave for snapchats.
The HCC had also invited other organizations on campus to market themselves. A distinguishably impressive one was physics club. They had brought along the iconic Van de Graaff generator, where people could touch the thick metallic circle at the top and through static electricity and some inscrutable physics properties, it essentially made people’s hair stand up straight on their scalp. No doubt, it earned a smile or two from every visitor to stop by. Some of the other tables included one from the Let’s Talk Science organization that recruits university students to volunteer at events where they can educate and inspire young children from kindergarten to high school, through science experiments and educational games. Another was ECSpeRT, the IEC, UTM Students Union and a specialized branch of HCC; the Leave the Pack Behind organization that functions to raise awareness on smoking tobacco.
Getting back to the main attraction, it was obvious that the rink was as fun to skate on as it looked from afar. Everyone seemed to truly enjoy their time at the MoveU Skate and take the few moments to indulge with their friends in an amusing activity. The novice ice-skaters seemed to have been particularly entertained to try something totally new and have their friends guide them in this exciting adventure. The main spirit of MoveU Skate is to remind everyone to be active and moving, especially during the months of winter when people tend to avoid physical activity and stay cooped up indoors. All in all, HCC provided a well-orchestrated and eventful week to supplement people’s focus on physical and mental health amidst the looming stress of exams, that tend to crush everyone’s concern for their own health and wellness. For a send-off before the holidays, the HCC’s MoveU Skate was a real treat.
