The Reporter

www.stetsonreporter.com Thursday, November 19, 2009 by Sonya.Stewart Frank Warren, founder of the popular blog Postsecret, visited the university recently, speaking to students and the general public about the importance of secrets. "We all have secrets," Warren said at the start of the lecture. "Some people put [their secrets] in a box, and bury them, like a coffin. Don't be afraid to open'[your box]. Your secrets are like gifts." Five years ago Warren printed 3,000 postcards, drove from his hometown of Germantown, Maryland to Washington D.C. and approached strangers, asking them to write down their secrets. Writing his home address on the back of the postcards, Warren was surprised to find how many cards he started to receive. "On the average I get about 200 cards a day," Warren said. "But it started from 12 and went to 100, to 1,000, to 10,000, to 100,000." With so many secrets Warren started a blog, sharing postcards Opinions - A WidmmMen ■ amd:Glenm Beck :ij$gfe"4' aSome people put [their secrets] in a box? and bury them, like 'a coffin. Don't be afraid to open [your box]. Your secrets are like gifts.9? - Frank Warren with those all over the world. "I'm excited about the future of the web," Warren said. "There's blogs, Twitter, Facebook. Blogging is available to anyone. Entrepreneurs, college students." Two months into the project, Warren got an epiphany from a postcard showing a door with a hole Life Say Anything ' mlk through Orlando Page 6 in it, created from an abused child. After others commented, showing their own broken doors, Warren said, "We're a part of a community, and it shows you're not alone." During the lecture Warren spoke of his connection to the All-American Rejects' video "Dirty Little Secret," which aided in raising money for the suicide hotline Hopeline. Warren also spoke of his mail carrier Cathy (who has delivered postcards for five years), the secrets unable to make it into the book, and his refusal to allow his Postsecret books to be sold in Wal-Mart because of what he views as the company's policy of indirect censorship. "Let the secret speak," Warren said with a chuckle. Warren also spoke openly about suicide and what people can do to prevent it. "Suicide is America's secret," Warren said. "Having a friend that took his own life inspires me to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Don't ever think you're Please See "Secret/' Page 3 tie Men's B-Ball edges D-fl Averett PageS Zumba Takes to the Water The popular group fitness class will now have an aquatic variation, by Maria Wrabd If you walk past the dance studio in the Mollis Center in the late afternoon, you are more than likely to catch a glimpse of a group of girls dancing and working up a decent sweat. That group fitness class, known as Zumba, has become an exercise phenomenon both on the Stetson campus and across the country. This form of exercise, which incorporates Latin music, modem hip-hop, and simple dance moves, is a fun and easy Way to work out, tone muscle, and bum calories. Now, the Hollis Center will be hosting Aqua Zumba, a different form of the same great workout. Aqua Zumba is exactly what it sounds like: Zumba done in the water. Junior Ashley Znak, who will be instructing the Aqua Zumba classes, said, "Aqua Zumba uses the water as a tool to increase cardio activity, increase calorie burning and increase resistance while decreasing the impact and strain on joints," junior Ashley Znak said, Several benefits come with doing Zuniba in the water. As with most exercise, Aqua Zumba increases lung capacity, burns calories and fat, releases endorphins, stabilizes blood pressure, and decreases stress. The difference between Zumba in a dance studio and Zumba in the water is simple: "The water provides an environment to increase the level of intensity of your workout without adding more stress to the body," Znak said. Thus, Aqua Zumba provides the same workout as regular Zumba with added benefits. Aqua Zumba is a workout appropriate for anyone, regardless of fitness level or age. Participants need not even know how to swim, though they will be in three- to four- feet of water. "When I was approached to teach Aqua Zumba as part of the new Water Program, I was so excited and can't wait to spread Aqua Zumba throughout Stetson," Znak said. Currently, Znak is the only person at Stetson certified to teach Aqua Zumba, though the Hollis Center is looking for more. Those who would like to become certified should attend a Zumba Instructor Training Workshop, or attend the Zumba Instructors Convention. More information can be found on the Zumba website: www. zumba.com. Sophomore Jillian Masucci participated in Aqua Zumba when it launched on October 31. "It wasn't what I was expecting at all. It was so much fun, and I got a really great workout," Masucci said.