Dear Tiger,

You asked a question many of us wonder ourselves: “How do I keep active during the semester I don’t have P.E.?” There are a variety of things you can do to stay fit and healthy during the times you aren’t required to daily. It can be in small, doable ways such as taking the stairs whenever there are available to you. You can park further away purposely to get in a few extra steps rather than finding the nearest parking spot to the building. You can volunteer to walk your dog when you see your parents heading out to do so. If you need to run an errand in town, reach for your bike instead of your car keys. Get creative with it, exercise is obtainable in just about anything you do.

Personally, I have found I can stay active through sports, whether they are school sanctioned or for a recreational or club team. Sports provide you many benefits and staying fit is just one of them. If I find some free time on my hands, I like to head to the Y, but any gym will do. If you do not want to pay a monthly membership fee, you can pay $5 up front for your workout session then you are free to use any of the equipment. Venture out and find clubs or classes in the area that provide exercise programs.

Senior Sami Schepers started a Yoga Club last year that met on a certain day and time in the mornings that started students’ mornings off in a healthy and fun way. Anyone can start a club, although there is a process, but if you organize it well, you could start one of your own. The YMCA provides classes such as Spinning which is where you intensely bike ride on a stationary equipment piece for a certain amount of time; I have heard great things about it. A personal hack I like to use is finding useful ab workouts, leg workouts, and more on Pinterest and just do my reps on my living room floor. These are just a few of the methods I enjoy using to keep my heart rate up and my endorphins flowing. Happy exercising!

Sincerely,

Racquel Gonzalez