HLAC-1527: Rock Climbing

Reflection Questions

Question: Please discuss at least one connection you've made between what you've studied in this LW course and what you’ve learned from other courses you have taken at SLCC (or other institution) or have learned before taking this class? Make specific references to your work in this class and in other courses. How did what you learned in other courses enhance what you learned here, and vice versa?

Reply: When I first started taking this class I was pretty daunted by the wall. I was not confident in my ability to get to the top and ring the bell, nor was I confident I could do the new challenges introduced to us in the class like jugging a rope or lead climbing. I gave it an honest try each time and more often than not I succeeded. It has been a lot like my experience in my major, animation. I’ve struggled often in those classes with confidence and just doing the thing. After committing myself to doing my best regardless, I have found things often turn out better than I expect. Remembering this helped me persist even when I struggled in rock climbing. This connection helped me succeed in the class and putting that philosophy to the test in this class will help me succeed and perform again in the future.

Question: Reflect on what you thought about fitness and lifelong wellness before you took this course and how you think about it now that you have completed the course. Have any of your assumptions or understandings changed? Why? What assignments/activities/readings were influential in this process? How will you approach what influenced you differently in the future?

Reply: Before I took this class I had the impression that exercise was often just a means to an end, for me specifically. I struggled to find conventional exercises or sports engaging. I don’t particularly enjoy competition, I don’t really care to be super muscular or perfecting a physique. I craved something more; what I saw other people experiencing. Taking this class was an experiment in finding something I found fun and engaging, while also being exercise. Something that was fun first and exercise second, really. It was a success! I love it and it has been an activity I have used to spend time with people close to me as well. Exercise isn’t a chore if you curate your experience, and that makes it a lot easier to commit to long term. A big aspect of the class that helped me come to this conclusion was the camaraderie I experienced with my classmates. We encouraged one-another unconditionally. It wasn’t a competition among each other, but with ourselves. It was something challenging I could do with other people that didn’t turn into a hierarchy of skill, and moving forward I will have the ability to identify what will work for me and why.

Signature Assignment

The nutrition section of this class was the most impactful for me. I’ve often struggled with shame around what I eat and how often. Understanding the components of what I eat and the needs of my body has helped remedy a lot of that shame. This information has helped me internalize that eating doesn’t need to be an all or nothing game. That all food has something in it I need and I can build my diet around the things I crave while also hitting the things I need. Having this information has helped me take action with intention and that has helped me be healthier with less struggle.