CSUN’s Klotz Student Health Center hosted its Natural High Fair on Tuesday at the corner of Magnolia Walk and Etiwanda Avenue to focus on the promotion of alternatives for people who want to have a good time over the holidays without the use of alcohol or drugs.
The purpose of the fair, which went from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., was also to promote healthy living in general, and several booths, vendors and campus services were on hand to do so.
“Basically, a lot of the booths were here to (address) activities that students may be interested in,” said Nora Harrington, clinical aide for the Student Health Center. “Some of the booths provide information on drug and alcohol use, or educate students about general health.”
CSUN’s Department of Public Safety hosted a booth that allowed students to wear “drunken goggles.” These goggles provide a “drunken vision” to students when they put the goggles to show students how bad one’s vision gets if he or she gets drunk.
Several of the other activities showcased at the fair included involvement opportunities with the Matador Involvement Center, relieving stress through massages that the Student Health Center provides, an opportunity to go to a “night club” type gym, and winning small prizes from several mini-games set up at booths.
One of the mini-games at the fair was the Wheel of Nutrition at the campus nutrition counselor’s booth.
“Basically, you spin the wheel, and the arrow will point to one of the questions on the wheel,” said Heidi Brosnan, nutrition counselor and senior at CSUN. “If you answer the question correctly, you win a prize.”
In addition to the Wheel of Nutrition mini-game, the booth promoted student awareness of the nutrition counselors in the Student Health Center, Brosnan said.
“We give tips on how students can lose weight, or gain weight, or increase their muscle mass. We basically tell students how to eat healthy,” she said.
Brosnan also provided several holiday recipes to passersby, such as oatmeal pumpkin bread and banana-pineapple yogurt smoothie, as well as tips on healthy holiday eating.
Another service of the Student Health Center being promoted was chair massages by Rita Wolf, massage therapist at the center.
According to Wolf, the Student Health Center provides massage services for both students and faculty, ranging from 15 minutes to an hour. For students, the costs $6 for a 15-minute chair massage, and $20 for an hour table massage. For faculty and staff, the cost is $12 for a 15-minute chair massage, and $45 for an hour table massage.
As for other activities that students were able to take part in during the fair, the Matador Involvement Center allowed students to make “flower pens.”
“These flower pens we make (which are flowers that are used as pens) are donated to the people of East Valley Multipurpose Senior Center on Thanksgiving,” said Beatriz Trejo, an activities assistant at the MIC. “Anyone is welcome to make them.”
Other companies not affiliated with CSUN had their own booths to promote other ways of having an “alternate” type of high without using drugs or alcohol.
“Basically, it’s a gym with a nightclub atmosphere,” Judy Barnow, owner and master trainer of JAB Fitness Training Studio. “The room is lighted like a night club, and music is playing all around the gym. But instead of people doing drugs or drinking or dancing, these people work out and exercise.”
“People as young as 11 years old and as old as 65 may join our ‘nightclub indoor boot camp,'” she said.
Todd Cibere, climbing specialist of Recreational Equipment Inc., hosted a booth that showcased various climbing and hiking equipment.
“We’re here not only to showcase our equipment, but we’re also here to promote the ‘Stoney Point Clean Up’ (event) we’re having on Dec. 3,” Cibere said. “We’re hoping to get as many students as we can to join up with us on that day.”
Students are welcome to call the Northridge REI store on Devonshire for more information, he said.
Mark Solleza can be reached at mark.solleza.950@csun.edu.
