On March 5, Sensei Bylund, owner of Dynasty Martial Arts and Fitness in Levittown, held a free self-defense workshop at the CW Post Pratt Recreation Center on the CW Post Campus of Long Island University.

The workshop was filled with demonstrations of basic blocking and kicking to back fist reverse punches. Others included ways of getting out of bear hug grips and/or releasing oneself from wrist grips.

CW Post students came to the workshop ready and anxious to participate and to be taught self-defense techniques that they could use if needed on their spring break vacations. For many of them, this had been their first time participating in a self-defense workshop, yet with Bylund and her students' guidance, the attendees of the workshop were able to pick up the techniques within a few minutes.

The self-defense workshop was well planned as the students were to be venturing off for spring break. Many were going off to tropical places, many of which they had never been to before. Additionally, many of these students were to be traveling great distances with friends, instead of vacationing with their families. With a lot of college students traveling in a different style than they are accustomed to and going to unfamiliar surroundings, learning self-defense techniques is one of their best bets for fending off potential attacks. Moreover, as stated by Bylund, "Being able to defend yourself is an empowerment and confidence which enters every aspect of your life."

Even those students who didn't have plans for spring break were anticipating the event. "Even though I'm not going away for spring break, I feel as though we always need to be prepared," said CW Post graduate student Cari Harwood. "You never know what will happen, therefore it's better to be safe than sorry."

The workshop, sponsored by Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority Mu and organized by a public relations major who interns at Dynasty Martial Arts and Fitness, was well attended and appreciated.