As the seasons change and the weather warms up, students around the university are starting to think about their bodies and their health in general. After midterms and before finals is the perfect time to make sure your health is in top condition, and to help, Imprint has assembled a collection of specialized health services provided at UW. Some may be familiar to you, but some may surprise — and help re-invigorate — you.
Let’s get physical
Pregnancy tests/birth control dispensary/emergency contraception: Taking care of your health means making sure you’re engaging in safe sex. The university has plenty of services to help make sure any upcoming nooky you have will be safe and healthy. Pregnancy tests and emergency birth control can be accessed during normal hours for UW Health Services, and the birth control dispensary is open from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. each day.
Injections: New seasons mean travel plans, and sometimes dealing with new allergies. UW Health Services has you covered with both, by providing both travel injections as well as routine immunizations. They also offer allergy injections for those who suffer from them, but make sure to double check the hours on their site.
Nutrition Counselling: Do you think you could use some refreshers when it comes to how many slices of cheese stuffed pizza are in one serving? Health Services offers nutrition counselling to students in need of some guidance regarding their food intake or making healthier choices.
Wart removal: Don’t go to the beach with feet like a gourd! Health Services holds a wart treatment clinic every Tuesday. Warts can hinder exercise attempts, and can cause damage if left untreated for a long time. Also, they just don’t look great, so check out the UW Health Services website for more information on how to deal with your body bumps.
The Columbia Ice Fields Recreational Complex (CIF) also offers lots of options to students looking to either start getting fit, or continue their good fitness habits.
Workout Classes: 50 different fitness classes are offered at CIF, if you’re the type of person who likes to be encouraged by others and jam with a group. Check CIF website for their low price schedule, and double-check for free classes at the beginning and end of terms.
Instructional classes: Want to learn something new in your quest to get fit? CIF has plenty of options for classes including dance, sports, and martial arts. University clubs also operate out of CIF and offer cool activities like dragon boat racing, ping pong, and ultimate frisbee.
Pool party: The Physical Activities Complex (PAC) on campus holds more than just your dreaded exam gyms: there is also a huge pool. Four times a day, every day, the pool is open for lane swimming, and they also provide lessons for people who are buoyancy-challenged.
Alone time
If you don’t like working out with others, there are plenty of options for getting fit independently. There are two huge weight rooms on campus that are open every day. One is in the basement of the PAC, and the other is located in the gym at CIF. The gymnasium at CIF also features lots of machines and mats for your solo sweaty time to get pumped up to the next level.
So whether you need your hayfever allergy shots, some condoms before your big beach trip, or a new hobby to keep you healthy in the spring, check out all the services UW has to offer through its many facilities and clinics. This season, let’s make some healthy goals, check out what campus has to offer, and enjoy ourselves.
