Staying Fit Without a Gym Membership: 10 Activities to Keep You Going

Keeping active without a gym membership at Cornell is pretty difficult if you are not on a sports team. Combined with a heavy course load, motivation to exercise is almost nonexistent. After all, since when do Cornell collegiettes™ have time to do anything else but focus on their studies? However, we all feel irritated and grouchy after sitting all day. So without a gym pass, what is there to do?  

1. Run Layer up, grab your tennis shoes, and go on a run! You may have never been a winter fan, but Cornell has some fantastic running areas. For avid runner Victoria ’12, her favorite running spots are the “Plantation trails, near Freese,” which have “lots of trees and a creek.” This might also be a chance for you to explore Cornell if you never made it past the Ag Quad.
2. Swim If you don’t particularly enjoy running, you can try swimming. Both Teagle and Helen Newman have pool hours opened to the Cornell community. The pools are pretty empty in the afternoon, so take the opportunity to swim if you have an half-hour to spare in the afternoon. Jessie ’13 prefers Teagle to Helen Newman because “the pool water is colder, and the pool is larger.”
3. Hike Another outdoor activity that you can try is hiking. Hiking is an especially great exercise if you have a friend to go with. Cornell is surrounded by trails so hiking gives you a very nice scenic view of winter.
4. Bike Biking is a great outdoor activity. However, with all this snow, ice and slush, it can be pretty difficult. Also, in case this has escaped your notice, Ithaca is hilly. So if you decide to pull out your bike, make sure to check the weather!
5. Ski Never skied or snowboarded here? You’re missing out on part of the Cornell experience. Rent some equipment from COE and head out to the Plantations for some fun. Or if you want some legit courses, take the bus out to Greek Peak. 
6. Sled Take advantage of the snow while it lasts and go sledding! If you don’t have good childhood memories of sledding moments, now’s your chance to go out and make some. 
7. Bowl This may come as a surprise to you, but Cornell has a bowling alley located on the bottom floor at Helen Newman. So if you just want to relax and hang out with some friends, bowling is the activity for you. Mason ’13 advised that the atmosphere is “better when someone pays for the juke box.”
8. Rock Climb Want to develop some strong tough arms? Try rock climbing. According to COE, the Lindseth Climbing Wall is the “largest indoor natural rock climbing wall in North America.” This activity will definitely give you a challenge! 
9. Dance If you’re artistic, you can spend your creative energies on dancing. There are several clubs that offer dancing sessions for a small fee and sometimes for free!  Check out Latin-Israeli dance classes from 8-9:30pm on Wednesdays at Appel’s Multipurpose Room. 
10. Play with your friends Finally, if you are into team sports, you can always grab some friends and head to Helen Newman for a game of basketball, volleyball, or badminton. This is a great option if you want to escape the cold and de-stress.

Sources
Jessie ’13
Victoria ’12
http://www.coe.cornell.edu/goto.jsp?page=wall 
http://fitness.cornell.edu/