By Isaiah Mawhinney [1]
BELLEVILLE – The start of a new school year is hectic, but fortunately Loyalist Athletics [2] offers everyone a chance to de-stress on a trip out of town.
There are a variety of excursions to choose from, including Big Ski Weekend, a three-day trip at a resort in Vermont for $299. The advertisements [3] say “space is limited!” but organizers say the trip is not full yet.
Campus recreation [4] and fitness facility co-ordinator Cory Mestre [5] says that the trips are filling up “slowly but steady.” For the more expensive trips payment plans are considered on a “case-by-case” basis, he said.
Some people may consider high-intensity activities like skiing and mountaineering as dangerous, but Mestre says their worst accident in 11 years has been a broken ankle. He says these trips are really well planned and safe for students to enjoy.
Some of the flyers advertising the trips aren’t noticed by all students. When 19-year-old Shayna Girard was asked if she knew of any trips with the college, she simply replied, “no, not really.”
These expeditions are undoubtedly appealing but money is tight for a lot of students. It could even be the deciding factor between whether or not they choose to go. Although some students like Girard said they can justify the $200 price tag, “I don’t think that’s bad. I think that’s reasonable.”
Some of these events could be unfamiliar to students. Slacklining [6], held every Tuesday at 5 p.m. outside the library, is the sport of balancing on a thin and flat rope-like material stretched between two points, according to the website MarksDailyApple [7]. But the name is uncommon and Girard said she hasn’t even heard of it.
These treks are more than just a weekend getaway, they also help students interact and socialize with people who have similar interests.
“I think it will help ease [making] new friends,” Girard said.
The Big Ski Weekend will be from Feb. 3 – Feb. 5, 2017. For more information about what Loyalist offers for other campus recreation and trips, visit their website [4].