At-Risk is Best

Last week, I went to my usual 4:00-5:00 PM aerobics class. It's called "Totally Toned and Fit", though I've thought for years attendance in these types of classes would improve if they changed the name to something like "Ass Class." The instructor is motivating and brilliant and peppy and knowledgeable, etc.

Anywho, she had us exercise in a circle instead of in the usual military line-up style, which is the cutest way to exercise. It made me feel like when class was over that we'd have a little carton of milk and lay down on a little mat and listen to a little lullaby or something. I was chatting with the lady to my right, who is a history/art/yoga teacher at the "alternative" high school in town, and she mentioned that the majority of the student body there is made up of so-called at-risk kids. And I replied, "That term doesn't mean so much these days. 'At-risk' applies to everyone, in my opinion." She agreed, and then it was time to exercise, so we stopped talking and sweated out our probs instead.

Well, though, isn't it true? Aren't we all at-risk for something? As far as I know, "at-risk" was a term once applied to young people whose demographics made them vulnerable to certain circumstances and behaviors later in life: early pregnancy, drug use, poverty, etc. But I maintain that this term has wider application: you can be at-risk for a heart attack; you can be at-risk for failing an exam; you can be at-risk by not using your coupons at Tesco or Kroger.

Moreover, since when is taking a risk a bad thing? At-risk sounds kind of exciting, actually--like you're on the verge of something life-changing, something totally radical, something totally awesome-- like you're about to jump off the edge of the Mackinac Bridge into a palace of Ryba's fudge.

Remember: being at-risk isn't necessarily dangerous. It can be totally sweeeet!