Updated: Oct 5, 2018
Danielle Sheahan
Stock up on your allergy medicine, rain jackets, and umbrellas because spring is in full swing. Spring also brings all the wonderful rainbows and warmer days, making you want to go enjoy the outdoors, especially with the stresses of school. It is just as important to find ways to relax and live in the present as it is to plan and prepare for our futures. It can be very challenging to find a balance between these during young adulthood, but in college, everyone is in the same boat. The Climbing, Backpacking, Ultimate Frisbee, and Tennis Clubs all enjoy the outdoors and create niches for students seeking to find themselves and help them create a balance of school and life.
If you have a love of nature, then I would recommend either the S&T Climbing or Backpacking Club. Both clubs are open to experienced and amateur outdoorsmen and/or outdoors-women. There are tons of places to explore in Missouri and surrounding states for longer weekend trips. There are caves and rock formations just a short drive away down highway 44. The Climbing Club has weekly meetings on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM (please refer to OrgSync for the exact location). The club tries to organize trips every weekend no matter how small they might be. Similarly, the S&T Backpacking Club encourages and enables their members to find the ability to destress in a healthy way and to take on leadership roles within the organization. Members of the Backpacking Club have hiked and camped out at places like Hawn State Park, Kaintuck Hollow, Yelton Springs, and Buford Mountain. They have meetings on Mondays at 6:00 PM (please refer to OrgSync for the exact location). On their OrgSync profile, the club has posted a lot of beautiful pictures of places they have hiked previously. The following is a photo of club members in Utah from their 2017 Spring Break trip (Permission for use and distribution granted by Micca Nevins). Either club is perfect for those that enjoy the outdoors.
In contrast to the leisurely atmosphere that the Backpacking and Climbing clubs provide, S&T also provides clubs for those looking for a more competitive and team oriented sport/activity, the Ultimate Frisbee club being a prime example of such. The S&T Ultimate Club has two ultimate frisbee teams, Miner Threat and Lady Miner Threat. The club plays the sport known as ultimate frisbee, as implied by the name. Both teams practice together from 6:00 to 8:00 PM almost every weekday during the school year (please use OrgSync to contact team for practice location). The club also attends weekend tournaments, some as far away as Marion, Indiana. The club as a whole also participates in a Spring Break Tournament, which has been held in Georgia and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in previous years. The S&T Ultimate Club is always in need of fresh players and it does not matter if you have never picked up a disk in your life or were the star player of your high school ultimate team, you are still welcome to come play and/or join the team officially.
“It’s a fun sport that keeps me active with an awesome community of people to play with.”-Brody Johnson, Miner Threat Team Captain
“Women’s ultimate frisbee is still relatively new so you are encourage to step outside your comfort zone. You have a chance to establish a still-evolving sport.”-Kelly Dunlap, Lady Miner Threat Captain
If ultimate frisbee is not your speed, S&T also has other clubs oriented toward people still looking for an extracurricular, athletic activity, tennis being one of many. S&T Tennis Club, like the Miner Threat teams, also welcomes both beginners and advanced players to play for fun or competitively. They have practices Sundays through Thursdays at 5:00 PM (please contact club via OrgSync for location). The members are more than willing to teach beginners the basic rules of the game or give old pros some advice on improving their technique. Ultimately, providing a healthy environment for you to destress and be active.
All four of these S&T clubs are available to motivate students to get outside and get moving. They are great ways to get your mind off homework and studying. It is proven that when students take time out to de-stress, they are more efficient and productive when they do get back to work. Be sure to check out these clubs and see if they could be your niche at S&T. Keep in mind that these are four of many clubs like this.
Climbing: https://orgsync.com/66190/chapter
Backpacking: https://orgsync.com/66168/chapter
Ultimate: https://orgsync.com/66720/chapter
