Pretty Girls Sweat held its second-annual “Fit Fest: Retro Rewind,” an annual competition that combines exercise with interactive games for the ultimate title of “Fittest,” last Sunday in Old Union Hall.

This year’s theme was inspired by the nostalgia of popular childhood games from the 1980s, many of which are still staple activities and pastimes for younger generations today. E-Board members were dressed in pink cheetah-print athleisure, while competitors sported vintage workout shoes, leg warmers and printed tees.

“We thought, let’s go back in time, through the decades, and just implement obstacle courses that are very kid-like,” Nadia Nesredin, PGS’s president and a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said. “They’re still going to put you to the test and see how strong you are and how capable you are on the teamwork you have with your partners, but at the same time, you were implementing fitness.”

PGS utilizes its events to grow the fitness community in different student circles. On a larger scale, as a part of the national chapter, it also prides itself on raising awareness to combat important health concerns impacting younger individuals, particularly women. Nesredin highlighted reducing childhood obesity as the main issue the organization strives to address.

Decorations paid homage to the bright neon colors popular in the ’80s. The walls were lined with vinyl record cutouts, bright disco-ball balloons and two photo stations, with one featuring the retro geometric designs and the other decked out with silver streamers and large prop speakers by its side.

The scene was completed with Amir Frank, also known as DJ AFRANK, a sophomore majoring in mathematics, who was set up at a DJ booth playing a mix of blasts from the past and contemporary hits. Songs from the Spice Girls, Jay-Z and Rihanna filled the room, prompting the crowd to dance before the event even began.

The two emcees welcomed the audience to the event and kicked off the action by introducing the competing teams. Each organization was introduced by running through a pink sheet of paper, dramatically entering the event space while accompanied by a hip-hop or rap song, hyping up the audience for applause.

Nine organizations had volunteered to compete for the final title of “Fittest,” and came dressed according to their assigned decades theme.

In the 1970s crowd was the Thurgood Marshall Pre-Law Society, the National Society of Black Engineers and Men of Color. In the 1980s category were the Haitian Student Association, the African Student Organization and the Black Student Union. Lastly, in the 1990s group, the Juvenile Urban Multicultural Program, the Caribbean Student Association and the Mu Kappa chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. prepared to compete.

Next, the emcees explained the contestants’ first obstacle course. This relay race included tasks like jump-roping, squats, hopscotch and trying to whack E-Board members with inflatable bats, which elicited laughter from attendees. One audience member was chosen each round to spin a wheel, determining a twist for each round, making the obstacle more challenging with the possibility of penalties for players.

Once the round began, cheers erupted from the attendees, encouraging their peers and trying to help them navigate the relay race. The first round concluded with six teams being eliminated, leaving only ASO, CSA and NSBE to move on to the next round.

To create a thrilling race, E-Board members took inspiration from their own childhoods, showcasing that staying healthy can be exciting rather than solely relying on a strict regimen.

“There’s other ways that you can incorporate fitness in your life that are not just going to the gym every day or going to the gym three times a week,” Franchely Quezada, the co-events coordinator of PGS and a sophomore majoring in nursing, said. “So that’s what we were trying to do with this event, show that there’s other ways to make fitness fun.”

Food was served during a brief intermission, including chicken skewers, sliders and a variety of popular snacks and fruit drinks. An interactive, life-sized version of tic-tac-toe was set up, where players completed physical exercises after placing their piece. The audience cheered players on as they performed push-ups, jumping jacks and more.

During this break, the Black Dance Repertoire, dressed in bright leg-warmers and neon leggings, gave a high-energy performance to a medley of songs. They featured classic aerobic and gymnastic moves combined with modern dance — a nod to the workout videos popular during the decade.

The second round quickly began and the three remaining teams got ready to complete their next challenge. Tasks included childhood activities like scootering on mini tricycles and cup stacking. Audience members were then chosen to distract competitors with silly string, quickly turning into a lively display of competitiveness among participants and guests. Only NSBE and ASO remained standing, preparing to face their final challenge to earn the grand title.

PGS hosts a variety of wellness-centered events like “chit-chats” with E-Board members, which help students navigate healthier habits as busy college students. The organization also holds other interactive and competitive events similar to Fit Fest, focusing on building community through fitness games.

“I found that people can be very competitive when it comes to things like these,” Quezada said. “So it just makes things more fun and light. And again, we show people that there’s other ways for you to incorporate fitness into your life, that is not just going to the gym.”

Finally, ASO and NSBE stepped up for the final round. The last challenge featured a balance beam, balloons and scooters, testing the contestants’ endurance in one final obstacle course. The audience got riled up for the finale as they cheered challengers on, while some guests threw bouncy balls to set competitors back.

After a tie-breaker round between the two teams, where contestants had to try to shoot down bowling pins with a Nerf gun, ASO was awarded the title of “Fittest.” The participating organizations and audience applauded the winning team, displaying the strong camaraderie and sportsmanship between the teams.

Fit Fest exemplifies PGS’s mission and drive on campus, breaking the barrier between wellness and education and above all, making exercise fun and accessible for all students.

“I want people to take into consideration that literally anybody can work out, no matter what you look like and no matter if you’re a beginner, an intermediate, you’re advanced,” Nesredin said. “No matter what stage in the life of your fitness journey you are, you can literally take away anything and you can just make anything possible as long as you put your mind to it.”