To those new on campus, welcome to Western, and welcome back to all of you students who are returning for another year.  You have chosen one of the most stunning locations in the world to pursue your education.  

Bellingham and its outlying areas have a never-ending supply of natural beauty and its resultant activities.  If you have been fortunate enough to spend a summer here you are well aware of all the possible ways to spend your leisure time.

But what to do now that the days are beginning to shorten, the nights are becoming increasingly cooler and soon the inevitable happens, summer ends once again?  Just because the warmth and sunshine will soon be replaced by the seemingly endless days of another cold, wet Northwest fall, doesn’t mean you must sequester yourself inside and succumb to the relentless horror of boredom.  

The greater Bellingham area is an exceptionally vibrant and exciting community regardless of the season.  No matter what your passions or pastimes may be, you can always find interesting and inspiring activities to entertain or amuse, so let’s take a look at a small sampling of what this region has to offer when our days become cold, wet and short.

For those of you who enjoy physical pursuits and are not ready to slow down yet, despite nature’s signs, there are many activities you can partake in no matter how inclement the weather may get.  

Recreation

Let’s start with Western’s own Wade King Student Recreation Center, which has a wide variety of stationary exercise equipment as well as a full weight room, rock climbing wall and swimming facilities.  If you are interested in starting an exercise program make sure to take advantage of the personal trainers available.  

For an added touch of luxury after your workout, schedule a massage with one of the center’s licensed massage practitioners.  More information can be found on the center’s Web site at www.wwu.edu/campusrec or call 650-3766.

If you are looking for a workout of a different nature or just a leisurely afternoon of ice skating, the Bellingham Sportsplex is the place for you.  Located just a few short miles from campus at 1225 Civic Field Way, the Sportsplex offers open skate times as well as introductory hockey lessons.  

The Sportsplex is also home to the Whatcom Speed Skating Association and the Bellingham Figure Skating Club.  They also have an indoor soccer field and offer both drop in and league soccer action.

Executive Director Lance Calloway said, “In the winter months, there is more activity going on here than anywhere else.”

Check them out at www.bellinghamsportsplex.com or call 676-1919 for further information.  

And don’t forget to look in the WWU “Blue Book,” available at the Associated Students bookstore, for a great two-for-one skating offer.

Arts & Entertainment

Perhaps you’re not a fitness enthusiast or you are looking for a more relaxing form of entertainment, then you should investigate some of Bellingham’s many fantastic art galleries.  

You can start your tour with Western’s own Viking Union Gallery, which offers artworks by students of Western and regional artists. Check them out in VU room 507 or call 650-6534.  Don’t forget to spend some time at the Western Gallery, featuring the best in national and international artists.

Sarah Clark-Langager, the gallery’s director, said the Western Gallery also offers live musical performances every Wednesday evening.  

Check their schedule at www.westerngallery.wwu.edu or call 650-3900 to see what’s happening next.

Bellingham itself also offers a vast collection of art galleries to choose from.  The internationally cherished watercolors of Bellingham native Jody Bergsma can be viewed and purchased at her gallery located at 1301 Fraser St. #A6.  

The eclectic works on display at the Blue Horse Gallery are always pleasing to behold, they can be found at 301 W. Holly St., in the heart of Bellingham’s “old town.”  

When in Fairhaven, don’t forget to stop in at Artwood Gallery, featuring the finest in local woodworking, located at 1000 Harris Ave.  

Of course your tour of local art galleries could not be complete without visiting the Whatcom Museum of History and Art, located in the former Bellingham City Hall at 121 Prospect St.  In addition to exhibits of local history, the museum features displays by prominent artists of national and international repute.

Maybe viewing all these artworks will get the idea of art “under your skin.” Then why not take it to heart and get yourself inked?   

There are too many fine tattoo establishments in Bellingham to mention them all here, but Daniel Barringer, co-owner of Chameleon Ink, said it is important to meet with different artists and view their work to develop a level of comfort before making a decision such as this.

Chameleon Ink is located at 1146 N. State St. and can be reached at 676-7330.  Also look for the 10 percent off coupon in the Western “Blue Book.”  What a great, permanent souvenir of your time at Western and it will make Mom and Dad so proud.

As long as you are delving into cultural offerings of the area, why not spend an evening enjoying live theater with one of Whatcom County’s many community groups.  

Even better yet, audition for an upcoming production and get on stage yourself. This is a great way to spend some leisure time and meet other like-minded people.  

Check out the following group’s websites for more information regarding auditions and show dates: the Bellingham Theatre Guild, www.belllin
ghamtheatreguild.com; the Barn Theatre at Sudden Valley, www.thebarntheatre.org; Lynden Performing Arts Guild,
www.clairevgtheatre.org; and the Northwest Washington Theatre Group, www.nwtg.org.

If you would like to hone your thespian skills before tackling the stage, check out The Upfront Theatre.  It offers several levels of improv lessons throughout the year.

Billy Tierney, artistic director of the theatre, said improvisation training can help everyone improve his or her communication skills, not just those interested in the theatre.

“Improv is like air… We can teach you to breathe,” Tierney said. 

The Upfront Theatre can be reached at 733-8855. 

Perhaps your artistic talents lie in a more tactile direction.  Bellingham has many art supply stores that can provide you with materials and instructions to create your own masterpieces. 

Dakota Art Store, located at 1415 Cornwall Ave., is the largest retailer of art supplies in town. 

Alan Weydert, manager of the Bellingham location, asks you to come down and check out the new, expanded location, featuring a larger selection of goods and a new crafts section. 

He also says they are a great place to find items for making Halloween costumes and holiday gifts. They also offer a discount for all Western Art Department students.  

For more craft provisions, try the Bead Bazaar at 1001 Harris Ave. for jewelry making supplies, Stampadoodle-Art and Paper located at 915 Iowa St. for scrapbooking supplies and our own Western AS Bookstore stocks many supplies to keep you busy. 

These approaching long, dark nights are the perfect time to create gifts for the upcoming holiday season.  So get going and impress your friends and family with your talents.

If you need to get out and let loose after a hard week of studying, there is no better outlet than live music.  Bellingham offers many venues for both the under, and over-21-year-old crowds.  Check out the Underground Coffeehouse on the third floor of the Viking Union, Three Trees Coffeehouse at 118 W. Holly St. and the offerings of AS productions at www.asp.as.wwu.edu for your non-alcoholic venues. 

For those of you needing a little more fuel with your music, Bellingham has many options for live events.  The Nightlight Lounge, located at 211 E. Chestnut St. and Boundary Bay Brewery, situated at 1107 Railroad Ave., are just two of the more popular venues. 

You won’t need to wander very far from campus to discover your own favorite nightspot, as Bellingham’s downtown core is full of great music many nights of the week.  Get out there and explore.

Destinations

Now that you are in the investigative mood, don’t restrict yourself just to the region close to Western’s campus.  Bellingham and its surrounding environs have a great deal to offer, you just need to do some searching to find its many gems. 

The fall is a wonderful time to use your Whatcom Transportation Authority bus pass to explore Whatcom County.  Search out a destination on their website at www.ridewta.com, go for a ride and discover the region. 

By either bus or car, you owe it to yourself to take a trip up the Mount Baker Scenic Byway. This trip is gorgeous during the fall when the leaves are changing color. Around the end of November, the Bald Eagles start their yearly stop along the Nooksack River.  They can be seen in abundance at many locales along the Mount Baker Highway and are not to be missed.

Another must-do day trip is the “poor mans” tour of the beautiful San Juan Islands.  Departing from Anacortes, the Washington State Ferry System has many daily runs throughout the islands and a walk-on fare is a very inexpensive way to see these treasures. 

You can view the schedules at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.  Just make sure you carefully schedule a round-trip, as some runs could leave you stranded on one of the islands.

Socializing

If you’re looking for entertainment of a longer duration why not look into the many classes offered in the area.  Yes, that’s right, more classes.  While you’re taking academic classes at Western why not enjoy taking a class for pure pleasure.

Whatcom Community College offers many community education classes that can be taken just for the fun of it.  From cartooning to knitting, dancing to guitar playing, Whatcom has something for everyone.  Look up your favorite at www.whatcom.edu and have some fun while learning.

It must be mentioned that there are many opportunities to join in with other students who share interests similar to yours right on Western’s campus.  Western’s Associated Students clubs offer dozens of sponsored clubs. 

From academic to purely social, the AS has it all for you.  Try the Students for a Democratic Society or the WWU Metal and Hardcore Club.  If you enjoy dressing up and role-playing you might like the Medieval Re-Creation Club. Or if you prefer undressing, maybe the Students of Optional Clothing Club is for you. 

As you can see, no matter what your interests the AS has a group for you, look for groups at www.as.wwu.edu/clubs and have some fun.
It is always much more enjoyable to partake in leisure activities with a companion.  Why not become a friend and mentor to someone who could benefit from the time spent with you. 

The Big Brothers Big Sisters organization is always looking for new Bigs and this is a great way to have a positive influence upon your community.

“Our ‘School Buddies’ program seems to work best for Western Students because it’s only a year commitment and you only meet during the school year so they can still go home during school breaks," Marinda Peugh, fund development manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Washington said.  "It’s only an hour a week during the school day so they can schedule the time around their class load.” 

Contact them at 671-6400 and make a child’s life much richer. 

As you can see, these are just a few of the unlimited activities that can be found in our area.  So don’t let the approaching fall weather keep you from enjoying your time spent in this wonderful corner of the world. 

The best thing you can do is to get out into the community and explore. If these activities are not for you then start looking about, the Bellingham area is remarkably full of fun and excitement just waiting to be discovered.  Enjoy your time here to the fullest.

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