Water aerobics gets a bad rap. If it were a category on “Family Feud”, a survey of 100 people would probably tell you it’s for middle-aged women in gaudy glittering swimsuits, the elderly, those recovering from sports injuries or people who can’t do dry-land workouts. While water aerobics does fulfill a lot of those needs, it is also a great alternative to a traditional workout, especially in these warm summer months.

I’d tried out water aerobics before but it had been a few years. I was called back to the pool by a good friend of mine who insisted we try something different. This time, it was the deep stuff: AquaCardio in the diving well of one of the university pools.

We arrived early and exchanged nervous greetings with some other first time students while we waited for the instructor to arrive. She rolled in with 5 minutes to spare and looked like a woman on a mission. She wheeled in giant carts of buoyancy belts, Styrofoam weights and aqua noodles. At the same time, three middle aged women came out of the locker room. Fears of a future filled with floral-print, skirted swimsuits entered my thoughts. What had we gotten ourselves into?

We put on our belts, grabbed the noodles and a pair of weights and jumped into the pool. I sat on the edge of the deck before launching myself into the water. My belt kept me from going under and it was nice to be in the deep end without having to work so hard. I thought, “This is going to be a breeze. A little kicking, maybe some floating on my back and we’ll call it a day.” I really should’ve known better. Read More »

When I typed up that post about Mizzou’s “Tiger Grotto”, I’ll admit that I was slightly embittered. But deep down, I know I’m not exactly a Grotto kinda gal, so I was able to dismiss it with one mere huff-puff.

THIS, however, truly incenses me: student living replete with private bedrooms and baths, Rachel-Ray-ready kitchens, maids, plasma screens, fitness centers, swimming pools, hot tubs and tanning booths? Next thing you know, they’re going to be eating foie gras with ivory forks while Robin Leach narrates their every move.

Listen. Not to be all “When I was your age, I walked barefoot in the snow,” but the first dorm room I ever lived in (at my pre-transfer school, which will go unnamed, but for the record was expensive) was 10’ x 10’…. and I shared it.

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