Students trying to escape grades and tests can turn to another alternative to fill the need to learn — LSU leisure classes. As leisure classes — which include craft and design, family matters, food, wine and spirits, health and fitness, hobbies and home improvement, language and culture, money and professional growth, music, sports and writing and communication skills — grow in popularity, the University is implementing a new online resgistration system. Lynne Maxwell, leisure classes coordinator, said the new user-friendly system — which starts Dec. 4 with the spring registration — will look more like an online shopping Web site, allowing users to drag classes into their “cart.” Users can also enroll multiple people at once, rather than the old system that only allowed single registration. The system also features a waiting list, she said. “Most people like to sign up in groups,” she said. “With the old system, it wouldn’t tell them how many spots were available, so some people in the group couldn’t get in to the class.” The new Web site will give users the opportunity to create a profile and the option to purchase a Union membership, giving them discounts for leisure classes, Maxwell said. Maxwell said leisure classes offer the opportunity to learn about many topics without worrying about a grade, which makes the classes popular, Maxwell said. “People like to learn new things,” she said. “When people take classes because of their own interest, they are more intent and excited about learning.”Another factor contributing to leisure classes’ popularity is the chance for a social outlet — people sign up with friends and hope to make new friends who share the same interests, Maxwell said. Maxwell said the more popular classes among University students are dance, yoga, tai chi, crafts and digital photography. “Wine tasting is a very popular class with students over 21,” she said. “It’s one of our more popular classes — I’m sure if people could take it at 18, it would be full of students.” Maxwell said the spring semester — which starts January 19 — offers a few unique classes, like archeological digging and introduction to professional voice overs. Getting Paid to Talk, the class on professional voice overs, is a one-day class, offered twice in the semester, and is taught by professional voice coaches from New York, Maxwell said. The archeological digging class lasts five weeks and includes five one-day trips to a dig site. Jessica Bates, English senior, said she took her first leisure class in the fall and is interested in taking more in future semesters. “It’s fun to learn when you’re not forced to,” she said. Patt Aptaker, Looking Great, Living Great instructor, said this year is her seventh teaching leisure classes at the University and her fourth year teaching Looking Great, Living Great. She said she enjoys teaching the classes because it gives her the chance to leave the office and engage with participants who are eager to learn about the topic. “Our participants are very fun and interested in the class,” she said. “I enjoy teaching them because they want to be here — and it shows.” – – – -Contact Steven Powell at [email protected]