One of the biggest trends that I’ve noticed in my time on campus is that a majority of the student body is exercise happy. I don’t mean to say that this is a bad thing. Quite the contrary—since when is investing in one’s own health a bad thing?
I won’t waste your time or my space with expounding upon the virtues of exercise. The truth is that we’ve all heard it more than often enough from our doctors, parents, friends, professors, etc. It is clear that it’s important to get some exercise.
However, one of the main ways that people choose to maintain their level of fitness is to go to the Mueller Center. It’s a very nice facility and I don’t blame them.
Personally, though, I’ve discovered that finding time to go to the Mueller Center is difficult at best and when I do go there are usually too many people there to make it worth my while. Granted, I have a rather small sample size to base this statement off of, but it just doesn’t fit into my own personal schedule or habits and I’ve given up on it.
Fortunately, there are alternative ways to get exercise. Troy is ideally built for walking. Just look around; there are tons of hills. Granted, it’s not as structured of a cardiovascular workout that you could get at the gym, but it is something. And there’s the added bonus of feeling like you’re getting somewhere.
Additionally, I have discovered the joy of Pilates this semester. Pilates brings in some flexibility and strength training in addition to helping to relieve stress. It’s very centering, as corny as that may sound.
I’m not advocating that everyone abandon the Mueller Center and take up walking and Pilates. The point is more that there are other options beyond the Mueller Center, and I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to find something that works for them. And don’t write it off saying that you just don’t have the time—if you can manage to find time to watch your favorite TV show, you can find time to exercise.
