When I first saw a Birch Aquarium Instagram post showing students doing yoga on its deck with a gorgeous sunset view, I was immediately jealous and even a bit annoyed — how do I always miss the best school events? So, when I heard that there was another installment of Recreation’s free “Under the Sea: RISE Aquarium Yoga” event on Tuesday, March 4, I vowed to go. The event description was intriguing — a night of “yoga, reflection, art, and beauty” with a “special musical performance” — and I immediately sent the registration link to my friend, a fellow beach and yoga lover. We were especially excited by the opportunity to go to the aquarium for free, since we’re usually dissuaded by the $28 student admission fee.
When I lived on campus in Seventh College, I could easily take advantage of all the free activities offered to students. On any given day, you could find me painting tote bags at The Hump or crying to “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” at The Loft’s movie dinners. Now that I’ve moved off campus and these opportunities are less accessible, I have felt disconnected from student life. Since I will be graduating in a few months, I want to take full advantage of The Perks of Being a UC San Diego Student — see what I did there? — while I still can.
Our Tuesday night yoga adventure quickly rolled around. I had a midterm that afternoon, so I hurried to change into my yoga attire and meet my friend for the 4 p.m. event. We made it to the aquarium just in time, spotting a huge line of people dressed in sweatshirts and carrying yoga mats like us. As we joined them, we prepared to relax and looked forward to what the evening had in store.
Once we reached the front of the line, the event staff gave us wristbands and two handouts. The first handout included a list of aquarium-related journal prompts like, “What is something in nature that brings you awe?” and “Find a sea creature that embodies strength to you.” The other handout was a card with instructions on how to do a yoga pose and an accompanying affirmation. My card showed how to do an upward salute and read, “May the light always shine bright on your path.” As I took in the words on my card, I fully embraced the calming energy around me, letting go of the stress from my busy school day.
My friend and I then moved onto the back deck for ocean-themed crafts. The event offered the option to either paint mini canvases with scenes of the deck’s beautiful ocean view or write “message in a bottle” letters to our future selves. We decided to write letters and selected our bottles from an array of tiny green, blue, and purple options. In my message, I wrote to my hopefully-thriving post-grad self about what I hoped she was up to.
Afterward, we went to set up our yoga mats on the deck. While laying on my yoga mat, I was lulled into a peaceful state, thanks to a musical performance by guitarist Jesus Gonzalez. Once the music slowed, we knew it was finally time for yoga.
To my surprise, my favorite UCSD Recreation instructor, Jane, taught our 45-minute Vinyasa flow class. I enjoy her supportive guidance and calming voice during her normal classes, so I instantly felt at ease with her leading. We began with the cat-cow pose, a gentle stretch that helped me sink into the present moment. Next, we did a sequence of chaturangas, flowing between downward dog, low plank, and upward facing dog. After warrior one and two and some other standing poses, we returned to our mats for pigeon, bridge, and our final resting pose, savasana.
As I moved through Jane’s familiar pose combinations, I realized that I had never been in a yoga class this big before. There were almost 200 people at the event. While I have attended my fair share of tiny yoga classes with Recreation, the size and location of this class made it completely different. As I looked around, I was surrounded by all types of skill levels from seasoned pros to absolute beginners, and I felt comfortable embracing my own abilities. There were some awkward moments — like when I was trying to make sure I wasn’t accidentally kicking or hitting my neighbors or when I was distracted by the drone buzzing above us taking pictures for the UCSD Instagram — but other than those minor hiccups, our night of mindfulness was a success. Being near the ocean made it extra special.
After class ended, my friend and I stopped by the penguin exhibit — my favorite — and paid a visit to the seahorses. We then watched the gorgeous sunset from the tide pool area, savoring the yummy coffee and desserts provided by the event. On the drive home, my friend and I basked in the relaxation from our evening of yoga and community.
Who would have thought I could do yoga next to the ocean with 200 people on UCSD’s dime? Now that I’m on my way out, I want to keep enjoying these chances to learn about myself and connect with our campus community while I still can, and I encourage you to do the same! Stalk the Recreation website or wander around campus to find UCSD activities and events; there are some hidden gems out there that make perfect side quests and might even help you check something off your bucket list.
