Black lights, glow sticks, neon colors, yoga. Late Night and Marquette’s Wellness Peer Educators teamed up to create a one of a kind event: Glowga.
Glowga, or glow yoga, will be held at Marquette Place in the Alumni Memorial Union from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. on March 4. Admission is free.
Classes will be offered by yoga instructors. The Wellness team offers free yoga multiple times a week in the 707 building on Mondays and Tuesdays from 6 – 7 p.m. and Thursdays from 5 – 6 p.m. and 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
“We know that’s a big hit and a service we can offer,” said Kimberly Baker, a senior in the College of Health Sciences and a Wellness Peer Educator.
There is more happening than just yoga at Friday’s event. Students can plant lavender, work on craft projects, make stress balls, play games, enjoy snacks and take an excursion to the Barre Code on 225 N. Water St. in the Third Ward.
At the Barre Code, students can take a workout barre class. There will be three separate classes, in order to accommodate more students.
Students will receive a punch card and can gain more punches for each activity they complete. Once they reach a certain amount of punches, they are eligible to visit the prize box, which has an array of prizes including a fit pass, water bottle infusers and adult coloring books.
The activities will be divided into three categories: mind, soul and energy.
“We sat there and we were like ‘Ok, these would be good activities to do with all of the different things,’ and just for mindfulness and wellness and things like that,” said Sarah Sheard, a senior in the College of Health Science and a Wellness Peer Educator.
The glow in the dark theme was decided on to make the event unique.
“It stemmed from the yoga we have here (in the 707 building),” said Kathryn Vetter, a senior in the College of Education and a Wellness Peer Educator. “It’s different. It’s something that’s never been done.”
“We thought it was fun and energizing,” Sheard said.
In order to get the most out of the theme, students are encouraged to wear neon colors or white clothing to the event. However, there will be shirts to decorate that will pop just as much under the black lights. Students will also be given glow sticks.
Planning this event was a collaborative effort between the Wellness Team and Late Night Marquette. The plans for this event have been in motion since the beginning of the semester, during a Wellness Team retreat.
They decided to have it at this point in the semester to help relieve some of the stress that midterms bring. The Wellness team is a newer organization, but is rapidly expanding. Throughout the semester, the team has interactive dorm events, presentations and cross campus events. Topics vary but include things such as nutrition, alcohol and self defense.
“It’s been a lot of building this year but it’s been good and very constructive,” Vetter said.
While the team is off to a good start, they are still developing. By having events for the whole campus, they hope to appeal to upperclassmen in addition to the underclassmen they already reach in the dorms.
“I think this year we’ve grown really strong in the residence halls,” Baker said. “We’ve had more regular interactions. I would love to see us do more campus events or reach out to more student (organizations).”
The Wellness Team seeks to promote health and wellness. The group does not wish to shame anyone or tell them what they are doing wrong. Their goal is to help students find a better sense of self after engaging in one or more of their programs.
“We don’t put these programs on to tell students that they’re doing something wrong,” Vetter said. “We just want someone to think about what they’re doing. It’s offering different options.”
“I think it’s a place on campus that is happy and healthy. We’re all here to learn, but we want to have a good time while doing it,” Baker said. “I liked the aspect of being able to continue the conversation about wellness and health because I think it makes being here at Marquette so much more enjoyable.”
