Students can avoid freshman 15

Students+can+avoid+freshman+15

by Katie Buchholz

We all dread it. It’s about one of the worst things that could happen to you while at college. It creeps up on you like no other. You don’t know when it happened or how it started, but you can prevent it.

Freshman 15.

Or in some people’s cases: sophomore 15, junior 15… you get my drift.

There are many students on campus who are involved in sports. They compete and stay in shape, while all having fun at the same.

But what about the rest of us that don’t have the time (or the blessing of coordination) to compete at a college level sport?

There’s always hope.

Intramurals, walking, biking, weightlifting, Quidditch, running. There is an endless possibility for students to get fit, stay active and have fun while being at Simpson College.

Were you one of those people who loved physical education in high school? Was the problem the fact that other people weren’t as competitive as you? Did your peers call you a ‘try-hard’ just for competing? Did you get frustrated when people didn’t even try?

If you said yes to any of the questions above, I have one word for you: intramurals. It’s by far one of the greatest activities ever invented in college history.

You love football, but you hate tackling? Flag football is your calling. Frisbee a sport? In intramurals, yes it is. Intramurals is a great way to stay in shape, compete and hopefully win a shirt. There are many different intramurals offered at Simpson.

Check your email or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/simpsonintramurals for more information.

Perhaps you are not the type of person to get hyped up on catching a flying Frisbee or getting dirty while playing mud volleyball.

Like I said before, there’s still hope.

Go to the weight room. There are treadmills, bench presses, free weights, etc. The great thing about the weight room? It’s free.

Bring in your iPod and get to work on toning those muscles.

Maybe you are the type of person who doesn’t enjoy being in closed areas to work out. There’s always a solution: Go outside.

Grab your lazy roommate and go take a walk, jog or a run together. You two can chat about how weird life would be if you were an animal, how awesome life would be if you were famous or even talk about if there is life elsewhere.

If you don’t have a roommate or you don’t get along with your roommate, find a way to manipulate somebody else in your friend group to tag along with you.

Or you could always resort to walking, jogging and running by yourself. It’s really not that bad.

But, there is one thing that we all do. We don’t even think about it. We just do it, because well, we have to.

We walk. Everywhere.

Need something to eat? Walk to Pfeiffer or Hopper Express. Need to go to the dorm room? Walk. Need to get good grades and graduate college on time? Walk to class.

It may not seem like a lot, but walking never hurt anyone, unless you count tripping on your own feet in the middle of campus and ripping your jeans in front of people.

Walking around campus, I see a lot of exercise going on that people might not even realize is keeping them healthy.

Biking to class and using a scooter to get from place to place is a fantastic way to go. I’m not for sure what these people are going to do once winter hits, but for right now it’s a great way to get in shape.

Go home and dig out that old bike and start riding around campus. Feel the wind in your hair and laugh at the people walking.

Another great way to get in shape without realizing it is playing Quidditch or Humans vs. Zombies.

Both these activities require running and a handful of props.

Harry Potter fanatic and you just wish that Simpson was Hogwarts? Your dream is there for the taking. Quidditch and activities like it are great opportunities for students to meet new people and stay active on campus.

Instead of sitting and playing Dead Island 24/7, come out every fall and spring and be in the real game. Humans vs. Zombies gives people a chance to live out their dream of zombies being on campus without all the danger of brain feasting.

Now that you know how to stay active on campus without being part of a sports team you have to learn how to eat healthy.

But who does that at college, anyway? We are college students who have a hunger for fast food and not downing enough water.

Freshman 15, I laugh in your face. We are SC. Nothing can stop us or slow us down. (Except for finals).