While most colleges and universities do not require freshmen to take fitness classes, it is still an awesome way to have fun, make new friends, and get in shape your first semester. During my first semester at BU, I took tennis for a one-credit physical education class. I had never played tennis before in my entire life, but I absolutely loved it by the end of the semester.
The teacher was so warm and welcoming to beginners, and I finished the class with a good understanding of the sport. Now, I’m in an intermediate tennis class and I love it! Here are some reasons why you should take a fitness class in your first semester of freshman year too.
- It’s so fun to learn something new — especially a sport.
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Fitness classes for partial credit are the perfect place to try something new because everyone in your class is in the same boat as you! They are new to the school, new to the sport, and new to college life. Getting involved in sports and activities is a super healthy and fun way to cope with beginning a scary stage in your life. Learning a new sport will take your mind off all the stress and you’ll have a blast doing it! Taking a beginners’ tennis class really helped me deal with being away from home for the first time, and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to try something new.
- You can make tons of new friends.
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Since other freshmen are likely to try new things and join a fitness class too, you will meet so many new people and have the opportunity to make amazing friends! Definitely talk to and get to know the people you meet in class because they may just end up being your new best friends. Friends who try new things together stay together, and you will always be thankful that you stepped out of your comfort zone. I met one of my best friends in my tennis class and she has helped me feel more comfortable starting a new chapter in my life.
- You can stay active and avoid the Freshman Fifteen.
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The Freshman Fifteen is a hard monster to avoid — it is so tempting to only eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but you need to make sure you eat healthily often and stay active. The perfect way to do this is by taking a fitness class! Personally, I am not one of those people who is extremely active all the time — I rarely go to the gym, I never go for runs, and you will never see me lifting weights. But trust me, fitness classes are the perfect place to work out in a relaxing and fun way. You have so much fun learning a new sport and meeting new people that you don’t even realize you are working out! I always leave the tennis and track center feeling tired from the sport yet accomplished from improving my skills. By taking a fitness class, walking to all of my classes, and eating healthy in the dining hall, I have been able to avoid the Freshman 15–and you can too!
- It will inspire you to get even more involved.
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After taking a fitness class, you will realize how fun it is to branch out and try new things! The experiences you gain from stepping out of your comfort zone are so valuable. You meet so many new people and become a better, well-rounded person. So join as many clubs and sports and groups as you can because eventually, you will find out what you love and it will be so worth it.
As the fabulous Reese Witherspoon has told us, “Live every day like Elle Woods after Warner said she wasn’t smart enough for law school.” So get out there and start making the most of your college years.
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