When most people think of Princeton, they immediately think about academics and its Ivy League status. While this a common perception, a multitude of other characteristics should be synonymous with the University. I have outlined several of these in my other blogs, yet I have not talked about one of the most important topics - physical health. Between studying, focusing on professional goals, going to club meetings, and studying some more, many often overlook their physical health. While there is always work to be done at Princeton, it is important to make time for yourself.
One of my favorite ways to remain active, which is the obvious go-to, is by going to the Class of 1986 Fitness and Wellness Center/Dillon Gym. This past fall, the newly-renovated and constructed facility was opened for students. While there is still work being done for the larger vision of the project (outdoor basketball court/ etc.), the gym itself is finished. And let me be the first to tell you - it is state of the art. Given the building constraints, available space, and student population, the University did an amazing job. I rarely have to wait long to use a machine, usually only if it's something there is only one of. I don’t use the treadmills, but some are almost always available. While my schedule fluctuates, I try to go at least three times a week to lift weights.
Since I don’t like running on the treadmill, this semester I decided to explore some other options and got involved with club flag football (I wish I started going to this sooner!). On this topic, Princeton has a lot of opportunities to join club sports and remain active in a team environment. Some club teams are competitive to join, but others are just for fun - there really is something for everyone. One of the more popular ones is run club, where students just run and socialize. All of these are great ways to remain active and are great things to get involved with as soon as you arrive on campus.
One of the other related activities are the Intramural League (IM) sport tournaments hosted by Campus Rec (they oversee everything fitness related - gym, club sports, IM, etc.). Basically, you and your friends can sign up to compete in a league for the sport of your choice, and at the end (usually over a few weeks) the winning group usually gets a champions shirt - mostly for bragging rights. My friends and I compete in the IM flag football league and have named ourselves the Milk Men. Lets just say a proper diet is just as important as the fitness aspect of health.
Before I end this blog, I want to talk about some other cool things that are offered at either Dillon Gym through Campus Rec or the residential colleges. For one, Dillon Gym has a huge indoor pool and once a year Campus Rec hosts a cardboard canoe race. There is also a huge campus dodgeball tournament hosted in the spring. There are also a lot of fitness classes that are hosted by Campus Rec, including some meditation/yoga based ones. Several of my friends are also SPIN (stationary cycling) instructors, which is a really popular activity on campus. As far as things offered by the residential colleges, it really depends but I know some have kayaking/canoeing opportunities on Lake Carnegie. Overall, there are a lot of great ways to remain physically active on campus!