Michael Lo and Mercy Bacaltan have some nerve. The two freshmen were high last Wednesday in the library quad ?” literally.

As part of the Natural High Fair at Sacramento State, students Lo and Bacaltan took to the sky and climbed to the top of a rock-climbing wall, courtesy of Mobile Climbing.

“This is the first time I’ve ever rock climbed,” Lo said. “And I was peer pressured into it,” he said, pointing at his friend.

“He says he’s afraid of heights,” Bacaltan responded. “And once we got up there we got stuck.” But the two eventually made it back to earth, laughing as they removed the safety gear.

The fair also encouraged students to pursue a healthy lifestyle by using alcohol responsibly and by finding alternative ways to have a good time. And the booths that lined the west walkway to the library quad during the free event offered students psychic readings, massages and even free pizza.

The Sac State Women’s Resource Center, Sacramento American Lung Association, Sacramento Zoo and Berkeley Psychic Institute were among groups that offered students information.

Junior Caterine Chath, a nursing major, brought a friend along with her to the fair.

“I was really interested in what was going on over here,” she said. “My friend got a flu shot, we stopped by the volunteer booth and student health services. I also found out that student aid is being cut.”

With the fear of a possible $9 billion federal student aid program cut by Congress, a group of students lined up at an Associated Students Inc. booth to call their congressperson ?” thanks to phones that were provided. And with stacks of Round Table pizza boxes lined up next to the booth, the incentive to bring students in to make the calls appeared to be working.

A little further down the walkway the First Covenant College Group was reaching out to students in its first semester as an official club at Sac State.

Kylie Web, a communications major, encouraged students to check out the group before making any assumptions about a Christian organization on campus.

“Most people think that if you are a Christian, you can’t have fun,” Web said. “But we strive to build strong friendships with people through fun activities and weekly interaction.” The group meets at 8 on Thursday nights at the Rancho Cordova church.

Students also shot hoops for prizes, signed up for volunteer work in the community and grabbed informational pamphlets on the health affects of smoking.

For the last several years the Sac State recreational sports department has teamed up with the health education department to organize the fair and give students safe and healthy alternatives to fill their free time.

Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) manned an informational booth with photos of those who have lost their lives because someone chose to drive while intoxicated. Not far from the MADD booth, the health education department handed out information to students on drinking responsibly and the consequences of alcohol abuse.

Lora Simmons can be reached at [email protected]