CREDIT: BEN HARRIETHA
The SWC offers a full gym and training centre, squash, a rock wall, a golf sim, personal training and countless fitness classes.

You’ve probably heard it countless times at this point, but exercising is really, really good for you. It helps with your weight, though that shouldn’t be the only reason you go, combats health conditions, your mood, energy, sleep, and once you get into a routine with exercise, it’s even fun.

Fanshawe has an extensive Student Wellness Centre (SWC), featuring a full gym and training centre, squash, a rock wall, and a golf sim. Students can even use the Carling Heights pool after registering with the front desk. Full time students are able to take advantage of the wellness centre for free after filling out a short questionnaire and waiting around 24 hours.

Part-time, co-op, and online students will have to complete some paperwork and pay for a membership. Memberships for these students are the length of a semester, costing $48 plus HST per semester, but is prorated depending on how much time is left in the semester. Students in an apprenticeship need to provide proof of apprenticeship and pay a flat fee of $33 plus HST.


But setting up the membership is the easy part, actually going to the gym is where it may get difficult. People can have intense anxiety about going to the gym for multiple reasons. Cindy Alico, the SWC’s membership coordinator, explained that some students can find the gym intimidating.

“I’ve had some students tell me, ‘I was going to work out but there are a lot of people there,’ and they end up leaving,” she explained. “Others are not so comfortable having to wait for particular machines, it feels awkward for them.”

Alico added that time is a big factor in whether someone may go to the gym, as students have to balance school, work, a social life, and leading a healthy lifestyle.

For students looking to get started working out, but aren’t sure how to, the SWC offers both fitness classes and personal training. Students are also able to book a fitness orientation to figure out the first steps of their fitness journey.

“We have a class schedule that changes per term, depending on requests and demand from students. Yoga is super popular, for example, that runs every day. And we also have paid personal training, which is all individualised.”

Ana Lustosa, a graduating Fanshawe student and former Interrobang contributor, who studied business marketing said that she started to take the classes the SWC offers because her “mental health was a disaster.”

“I had a lot of assignments, pressure, of course. And I really love to go to the gym, but I prefer doing workouts with other people and a professional to follow,” she explained. “When I saw that there were these classes, I was like ‘okay, great, let’s try,’ and it was the best decision.”

Lustosa added that the length of the classes at 45 minutes were a perfect length for students to go during a class break. Unfortunately, she noted that the classes were not usually that full. Maximum class sizes range from 16 to 30 people, depending on the type of class.

“I’ve never seen a class with 16 people. It’s 10 at most, and it’s mostly staff. For me, it was sad because we paid for this, it’s a professional class. The same class outside of Fanshawe would be so expensive,” she said. “It’s easy to book, you use the app and schedule the time, and there’s someone there to make sure you’re doing it all correctly.”

Lustosa added that now that she’s done the classes, she’ll most likely continue to use the techniques she learnt in her own personal workout time.

“Now I have more knowledge about the proper movements and form because of the classes. So, once I graduate, I can do this stuff alone because I don’t have to be worried about messing up.”

More information about the SWC can be found on their website studentwellnesscentre.ca