As the end of winter term nears, members of the Greek community look forward to spring term. If the weather holds up, spring brings much-needed sunshine to Eugene, and many are in high spirits. However, there is one weekend everybody has circled on their calendars. Yes, we’re talking about the weekend trip to Lake Shasta.
Although the trip is months away, the “Shasta-cising” craze has already started for some.
This term is thrown around the Greek community here in a half-joking and half-serious manner. For the uninitiated (literally and otherwise), the process involves achieving a desired level of fitness, or more specifically, a desired physical appearance for the trip.
Both men and women alike will put in extra hours at the Student Recreation Center in an effort to work on their body image. For some, the goal is to increase body mass. For others the goal is to lose weight. Regardless of your fitness goals, the desired outcome is to feel comfortable in one’s skin and to have a certain level of confidence in this social setting.@@aka to look badass@@
On the other hand, some scoff at the idea of building a fitness routine around a weekend. After all, it only lasts three days.
“Shasta-cizing is fun but ultimately stupid,” University senior Turner Hoenig said.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Turner+Hoenig@@ “Your diet in Shasta consists of bagels, hot dogs and warm keg beer. So pretty much all your hard work in the months prior to the trip to get a six-pack is pointless after the first day of the trip — completely worthwhile trip though.”
Chapters don’t make the trip as fraternities or sororities but travel to the lake in groups of friends.@@uh huh@@ Many will say its a waste of time and energy to spend on one weekend. But for some students — like senior Cory Kirchner@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Cory+Kirchner@@ — it is not just any weekend.
“If you want to be the MVP of Shasta weekend, you’ve got to put in the work in the rec center and at Taylor’s,” Kirchner said.
The bottom line is that everyone can benefit from a proper fitness routine and healthy diet, even if it is going to waste over the course of a long weekend at Shasta. Even if the routine lasts for a few months, the weekend serves as a form of motivation to get people to practice a more healthy lifestyle.@@lovin’ this, matt@@ Ultimately, everyone wants to look physically fit and feel comfortable in a bikini or bathing suit.
Everyone handles the Shasta-cizing process differently. Some people will start a new workout routine with friends, while others make an effort to watch what they eat.
According to Emma Overton,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Emma+Overton@@ a University junior, “You can’t go to Shasta without Shasta-cising. It’s pretty standard to start two months before the designated weekend, with daily gym sessions, no fast food and — as soon as you hit May — the gym sessions turn into daily doubles, and you have to cut out carbs. We (women) prepare for Shasta like the Victoria’s Secret Angels prepare for their annual runway show. Every guy and girl is comparing each other’s bikini bods to everyone else, so it’s vital.”@@totally@@
Call it judgmental; call it a waste of time. Many believe Shasta is the highlight of the year.
Shasta-cising: Waste of time or crucial spring tradition?
Matt Walks
March 4, 2012
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