How to Stay Fit and Active in College Transitioning to college doesn’t have to mean leaving behind your sweat-breaking passions. But with your class schedule, social life and endless roster of to-dos, finding time to work out can be a serious challenge.
The key to staying active, and looking fine, is finding a fitness regimen that motivates you and requires a commitment. Think it’s easier said than done? Try stepping into one of these novel activities, and you won’t miss a beat:
Get Into Intramurals
If you played an organized sport throughout high school, don’t think twice about joining an intramural league in college, says Shari Kantor, founder and owner of Integrated Personal Training in Voorhees, N.J. Committing to play on an intramural team encourages you to stay in the game while feeding your nostalgic craving for team activity.
Whether your university is famous for its D1 sports or falls in the athletically challenged category, almost every school offers a selection of intramurals for guys, girls and even coed teams, just do your homework to find out. Expect traditional sports, such as baseball, softball, football, soccer, field hockey, wrestling, swimming, and even bowling or golf, but don’t shy away from sports your high school didn’t offer. Some schools host leagues for broomball, dodgeball, horseshoes, whiffleball, pickleball and inner tube water polo.
Just like organized sports in high school, playing intramurals on campus can help you let loose, be social and stay fit. “In high school, I was the girl who played softball, field hockey and squash,” says Elisabeth Brubaker, rising senior at Southern Methodist University . “When I got to college, I immediately signed up for intramural softball to keep me active and in shape. It was probably one of the best decisions I made in the past three years.”
Stay-fit tip: When you arrive on campus, ask an older student or guidance counselor where you can sign up for an intramural sport. Chances are they will point you to the student center, where you can get the details and fill out any paperwork. Or if you want to get a head start, check your school’s Web site to find out what is offered for fall and spring semesters.
 Not Your High School Gym Class
There’s nothing more fun than rocking out late at night with your friends, and shaking it on the dance floor is great exercise. Take your Saturday-night moves to the campus gym by signing up for weekly classes, which are often free or super-cheap for students. Dance instruction in hip-hop or salsa is more comfortable in gym clothes and will totally take your moves to the next level. Not the dancing type? Classes like yoga , Pilates , kickboxing and spinning are also pretty common.
“It can be hard trying to make it to the gym now because there is so much going on at once,” says rising senior Naomi Ratner of Syracuse University . “Having a couple... |
