Getting Your Rear in Gear: Staying Active in College

Ah, college. Those glorious years when you study hard, party harder, and put on 25 pounds by the time you graduate. Wait a minute. Was that last bit not exactly a part of your ideal college experience? Sadly, packing on the pounds is a reality for many students as they enter college life and begin to form habits like studying over the pizza box and downing beer and junk food at parties. The food that's the worst for you is almost always the cheapest, and students' health often suffers from a lack of physical activity.

Your required physical education courses are not always enough to keep your body healthy. That's why it's important to incorporate exercise into a college lifestyle. One luxury that most college students have is access to a fitness or recreation center on their campus. Not only do these centers generally have cardio machines, weight training machines and free weights, but they also usually have open workout rooms where different types of fitness classes are offered, such as yoga, pilates or aerobics. Some college recreation centers even feature pools for open lap swimming. These gyms can get packed in the early evenings with workout junkies, so you may want to get in the habit of hitting the gym every other day in the morning before class.

Another exercise option for those who don't care for the gym scene is joining an intramural sports team. Many students would rather join a softball, basketball or sand volleyball intramural team than hit the gym because it's a more fun way to stay active while hanging out with like-minded friends. And sometimes having people you know surrounding you is what it takes to stay active.

If intramurals don't interest you, there's always running, where the only competition is against yourself. If you go to a school in a larger metropolitan city, chances are there is an organized group of runners in your city and you can connect with them through their various blogs after a brief Internet search. If you live in a smaller college town, you may need to get creative and search out your own running routes near your campus. Then again, there's always your university's track, when it's not in use by the track team.

Whatever choice you make, remember that you are doing the right thing for your body when you make exercise a part of your lifestyle. With a healthy body and an active lifestyle, you will have the confidence and the energy you need to succeed in college.