The PANANOLE News: FSU-Panama Student E-Zine

     For university students who wish to stay in shape and challenge themselves physically, there are numerous opportunities at Florida State University-Panama to participate in traditional college sports. However, since we are lucky enough to live near to both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans, there are other, less traditional sports that also can be enjoyed. One of these is surfing, an exhilarating coastal sport, that has rapidly gained popularity in this country over the past several decades.

     Learning to surf is a great experience, and one that requires dedication and perseverance. For some, surfing may come naturally, but for others it may take extra time and exertion. However, the effort is well worth it when as a beginner you catch your first ride on a wave. The learning process involves the arduous task of paddling out to where the sets of waves are coming in, and learning how to judge which waves will be good to ride. Then, you must learn to position yourself and your board in the correct place to “drop in” on the waves, and stand up on your board without losing your balance. This can be very difficult for those who have never participated in sports such as skateboarding. Surfing requires good balance. The good news, however, is that this balance is something that can be developed with practice, and it will soon become easier to stand up and ride the waves.

     After a certain level of skill has been attained, you can begin to learn how to maneuver the surfboard in order to get a better ride and perform tricks on the board. In this sense, it’s very much like using a skateboard, and those who have had experience with skateboarding or snowboarding will probably find themselves rapidly becoming more able on their boards than those who have not.

     In addition to all of this, surfing provides an excellent opportunity to meet new people out on the water, as well as to have a lot of fun with friends. Members of the surfing community say that it’s a difficult sport to stay away from once you’ve learned to enjoy it. Surfing is certainly a sport worth trying for those who would like to expand their horizons and try something new. And this perhaps is the main this reason that new people join the surfing community every day.