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It's about that time of the year.
Yep, it's that time when everybody starts getting over the whole college thing. For one, there is class. You've been attending classes religiously for almost 6 months now, and studying is getting a little old. Your room is a constant train wreck, and you probably want to throttle your roommates 90 percent of the time you are around them. And if you are an upperclassman, you have to deal with planning the rest of your life.
It's enough to make you want to go hide in a little hut in the Caribbean until the end of time.
Or maybe all the stress is just enough to make you shake your groove thang.
Now before you roll your eyes at me and flip over to the crossword, hear me out. When was the last time you just let go and danced a little?
Dancing, especially partner dancing, is a combination of many things. First, it's a pretty good workout. All that moving can really get your heart rate up. It's also a social interaction. I went dancing at the Salsa Cabana on Friday and met four or five new and interesting people. And perhaps most importantly to the bogged-down student, it releases stress in a way that is unparalleled.
Dancing has proven so beneficial that there are even some corporations that offer classes to workers so they can stay happy and fit. Places like the Roswell Park Cancer Institute offer classes like belly dancing four times a week in order to keep work stress down.
Even in a city as small as Columbia, there's no excuse to not take a trip to the dance club every once and a while. There are options for all kinds of dance. The Vista Ballroom on Assembly Street offers ballroom dance classes and hosts various dances throughout the year. Taboo, Club Level and various other establishments around town always have the bass blasting for hip-hop and urban dancing. If, like me, you like salsa dancing, Salsa Cabana on North Beltline Boulevard is a great choice. And let's not forget the Carolina Shag at Jillian's every Thursday night.
You don't have to hit up the discos to get the beneficial effects of dancing, either. If you are self-conscious about the way that you move, go ahead and lock yourself in your bedroom, toss your iPod on and start backing it up. That way, even if you have a club leg and hunch back, you can still shake the stress away.
I'm not saying you have to go learn how to do the Argentine Tango or polish up that headspin you've always wanted to do, but a little bit of rhythm can go a long way. It will at least keep you from throwing your roomies out the window.
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