California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    Hunger Games Battleground or Kingsmen Park?

    Sometimes midterms are just too much to handle. The stress of doing well on exams can take a toll on students at this point in the semester. While the importance of studying for exams is great, it is also important and suggested to take some time away from your books.

    Study breaks are what keep college students sane. Most of the time these breaks consist of some TV time or a peaceful walk around the block.

    Sophomore Dominic Lunde, Intern for Recreational Sports, gave some advice for his favorite study break activity.

    โ€œDraw fast. Shoot quicker,โ€ Lunde said.

    Mobile archery was the name of the game in Kingsmen Park on the campus of California Lutheran University on March 12.

    This midterm stress reliever was brought to campus as part of the Afternoon Adventure series Cal Lutheranโ€™s Recreational Sports provides. Whether or not students were overwhelmed with the pressure of midterms or have always wondered what participating in a real life Hunger Games would be like, this activity was designed to do just that.

    If you had the misfortune of missing this campus activity, the sport resembled the ancient craft of dodgeball.ย  Except, instead of dodging balls, players had to dodge arrows with foam tips being shot out of bows.

    All of the equipment used to play was rented from LazerTag Extreme in Simi Valley,ย  California. Workers from LazerTag Extreme assisted those who had never worked a bow and arrow before. They helped the students during target practice before the actual games started. Safety regulations were also being followed as each participant was required to wear a face mask and a wrist guard.

    Freshman participant Chris McCormack was quick to learn the skill of mobile archery.

    โ€œI didnโ€™t get hit so I wouldnโ€™t know [how getting hit felt]. People shooting arrows at you isnโ€™t just something you want to just stand in front of, but theyโ€™re foam so it wouldnโ€™t hurt if you did,โ€ McCormack said.

    McCormack and fellow freshman Jennifer Andersonย  said they make it out to many of the Afternoon Adventures that go on in Kingsmen Park.

    โ€œIย  like to [participate] whenever I can because itโ€™s fun and itโ€™s good involvement on campus, and itโ€™s free,โ€ McCormack said.

    Anderson said she enjoys these activities that are offered to students at no cost. She said her favorite activity was the Zorb Balls. She came out to participate in mobile archery for one specific reason.

    โ€œIt sounded really fun,โ€ Anderson said.

    The weather did seem to be an issue during play that afternoon. The wind picked up as mobile archery went on, causing technical issues.

    The gusts of wind caused alterations in the direction of arrows being shot from a long distance away from its target. A huge gust of wind even knocked over the practice target set up on the side of the mobile archery battlefield.This only challenged participants to increase their skill set during their matches.

    These weather conditions did not seem to bother Lunde or get in his way of having a great time.

    โ€œThe weather is perfect today, a little windy to keep it cool, but the sun beating down makes it so fun,โ€ Lunde said.

    These Afternoon Adventures provided by Recreational Sports are a great way to take a break from the stress of real life. Whether you are overwhelmed with school and work or you just want to channel your inner Katniss Everdeen, these activities are the place to be.

    Heather Tomaszewski
    Staff Writer
    Published March 18th, 2015