December 2006

Campus programs mix fun, relaxation and learning

Student Jenna Farley of San Rafael keeps her horse, Corky, at the Equestrian Center on campus. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis)

Students at UC Davis are encouraged to take fun seriously. With a myriad of recreational opportunities on campus, there's something for everyone.

"Having fun is a big part of life," says Brennan Bird, a first-year English major from Palo Alto and a volunteer at the Craft Center.

In addition to working on his flameworking skills to create glass beads at the Craft Center, Bird says he also makes it over to the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) at least once a week to climb the rock wall.

"When I go to the wall, it helps achieve balance -- I believe in taking care of myself physically and mentally," Bird says.

Important part of campus life

John Campbell, director of campus recreation, says leisure time is a valued part of life --even for busy students.

"Recreational outlets on campus allow students more opportunities for social interaction," Campbell says. "The more engaged students are in the campus community, the more successful and comfortable they are."

Here are a few of the recreational facilities and offerings on campus:

Equestrian Center

Students with a love for horses can take English or Western riding lessons, dressage classes, book a trail ride and even board their own horse at the Equestrian Center. Horses are also available to lease.

Jenna Farley, a second-year biochemistry major from San Rafael, boards her 9-year-old horse, Corky, at the center.

"Riding has always been such a big part of my life," Farley says. "It's a great way to relax, and when I come out here, I can let everything else go."

Through the center's Guardian Angel volunteer program, students without their own horses can go out to the center once or twice a week to groom, walk and feed the horses.

Craft Center

Students can develop their creative talents at the Craft Center in 10 fully-equipped studios, including photography, woodworking, ceramics, glass, jewelry, textiles and welding. Each quarter, the Craft Center offers more than 100 classes, ranging from one-day workshops to seven-week courses.

Freshmen Nikki Fetterman, left, and Audrey Pereira leave their stress on the basketball court. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis)

Activities and Recreation Center

Opened in 2004, the Activities and Recreation Center houses an indoor running track, basketball courts, a climbing wall, dance and martial arts studios, and more. Students can choose from a variety of group exercise classes including yoga, weight lifting, and cycling.

First-year suite mates Audrey Pereira of Palo Alto, who is majoring in economics and French, and Nikki Fetterman, an undeclared major in the life sciences from Wilsonville, Ore., say meeting up several mornings a week to play basketball helps decrease stress.

Outdoor Adventures

For the past 34 years, Outdoor Adventures has offered students and the community an array of opportunities to explore the outdoors, including backpacking, fly-fishing, wilderness photography, rock climbing, kayaking and the ever popular white-water rafting. Day to weeklong trips are a great way to make friendships with people who share similar interests, and professional guides and instructors make safety a priority.

Experimental College

Founded in 1966 to provide students an alternative to mainstream university courses in a fun, informal setting, the Experimental College offers a variety of classes in dance, tai chi, yoga, bike maintenance, dog training and even composting. Courses parallel the campus quarter schedule, and a few are even free.

Swimming

UC Davis offers a recreational aquatics program. During winter months, students can use Hickey Pool's heated waters to swim laps in seven 25-yard lanes. During the warmer months, the Recreation Pool offers a wide variety of water fun with lap lanes, diving boards, a shallow wading pool and a large grassy area.

Intramural sports and sports clubs

A recent campus survey indicated that more than 50 percent of UC Davis students participate in intramural sports each year, including tennis, flag football, ultimate Frisbee, badminton and soccer. The Sport Clubs program offers an even wider variety of sporting activities from boxing and crew to water polo and Brazilian jujitsu.

More opportunities

Students also can cut loose with bowling on one of the 16 lanes in the Games Area of the Memorial Union, shoot some billiards, play a video game or sign up for Texas Hold 'Em poker tournaments.

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