If you were to poll Binghamton University students about which classes have left them the most fulfilled and have given them the greatest sense of growth and accomplishment, a good amount of students, we predict, would identify health and wellness courses as the most impactful.
Not every student routinely hits the gym to bulk up and stay fit. For some, it’s a matter of habit. For others, it’s a matter of time.
So what about those who don’t have the discipline or drive to make physical activity a regular part of our schedules?
We’re college students. We drink too much coffee and beer, but not enough water. We munch on Nirchi’s when we should probably be experimenting with quinoa. We consider Chipotle a balanced meal. For many of us, health and wellness courses are lifesavers. The health and wellness department is there for those of us who get our cardio from the occasional schlep to Mountainview College and practice strength training through lugging orgo textbooks across campus.
It’s not about competing to be the next Greek God or getting your beach bod on. It’s also not about offsetting the effects of spending four years not sleeping nearly enough or eating well. The health and wellness classes are invaluable because they teach living well for the sake of living well. Whether it’s through yoga or weight training, white water rafting or skiing, anyone who’s gone through an H&W course and given it his or her best can attest to the ways in which exercising benefits the way you eat, sleep and feel.
Underclassmen, don’t be dismayed. True, you likely won’t be able to register for weight training or tree climbing for a few semesters. And perhaps health and wellness classes, considering how popular they are, should be available on a wider basis. But you can exercise on your own, too. The Nature Preserve is not just for doing drugs. Really! Go for a hike. We’re actually in a slim window of time now when the leaves are in their full beauty, and it’s not too cold out yet.
If you don’t get it by now, we love our health and wellness classes. We love that they cram regular physical activity into our packed schedules, forcing us to do what we know is good for us. But the best part is that the benefits of these classes extend far beyond the semester in which you take them. This is the time to begin the healthy activities that should become habits as we age past our primes and those Chipotle-scarfing days catch up with us. Do it now while you’re young and beautiful; you’ll thank us when you’re grey and nostalgic.