Although days truly aren’t long enough in college, it’s important to always make time for self-care and to be active. Luckily, there are many ways to get active on campus at ND. Whether it be working out on your own, going to fitness classes in Duncan, participating in club sports or playing for interhall/intramural teams, ND provides ample opportunity for students to be active on campus. I consider myself an active person, and I’ve really enjoyed trying out several different ways to be active during my year and a half at ND. Here are my favorite ways to workout at ND:
- Training for the Holy Half
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This semester, I’ve been training for the Holy Half Marathon with my best friend. This has by far been my favorite form of exercise since I’ve been at campus. I was never a runner in high school. I played sports that involved running, but the idea of running by itself (especially for extended periods of time) has always been a huge turn-off for me. Nonetheless, my best friend and I have been training regularly second semester, and I’m loving it! I’m learning to love to run, feeling healthier than ever, getting to spend more time with my friend and am always held accountable to work out in order to reach my goal (13.1 miles)! The program that I’m following has me running four days a week, taking two days off and cross-training on the last day. I have not felt overwhelmed at all and am absolutely amazed by the tangible benefits that I am gaining.
- Baraka Bouts
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Last year, I participated on the ND Women’s Club Boxing Team, formerly known as Baraka Bouts. I really loved being on the team and participating in the weekly workouts. I always played sports in high school, so having a team was one of the parts that I missed the most from home. Baraka Bouts is a super fun way to become a member of a team, get in a good workout (almost daily) and learn a new skill. Plus, female boxers are badass. Period. The only thing I didn’t love about Baraka Bouts was how much of a time commitment it was. Eight hours a week was a little too much for me to commit to this year, but I am so glad that I did it my first year.
- Sweat App (on my own)
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Last spring and this fall, I basically just worked out on my own. I bought a yearly subscription to the SWEAT app and really enjoyed it. The app creates a weekly program that incorporates some strength training and some cardio activity. Overall, I really liked it; but it was hard to always keep myself accountable when I was working out by myself.
- Interhall Basketball
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Interhall basketball is so fun! I didn’t play basketball in high school, but playing on a team with other people from your dorm is amazing! At least for Walsh Hall, it’s a super low commitment team, and we only have games once a week.
- Cycling Classes at Duncan
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Last fall, I did a cycling class at Duncan. I think signing up for weekly classes is an awesome way to hold yourself accountable, and cycling is a good way to get a good cardio workout without wrecking your knees.
- Interhall Soccer
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Interhall soccer is super fun! Again, low commitment for Walsh Hall.
- Interhall Flag Football
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Flag Football is no joke at Walsh Hall. Our team had weekly (sometimes biweekly) practices and games every weekend. It was so fun to be a part of our team! My only complaint was that, as a lineman, it didn’t always feel like that much of a workout.
- Interhall Beach Volleyball
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I am definitely not a volleyball player, but interhall sports are so fun!
- Interhall Bowling
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Okay, no joke people interhall bowling is SO fun. I had to put it last because it’s not that much of a workout; but honestly, if the rankings were based off of how fun something is then interhall bowling might just have to take the dub.
There are many other ways to stay active at ND, but this list is how I would rank my personal fitness endeavors! It’s important to choose something that will keep you accountable and fits with your schedule, which can definitely be hard as a college student. Interhall sports are an awesome, low-commitment way to workout, socialize with friends from your dorm and meet new people! Also, it’s always fun to have more than one activity going on in order to spice up your workouts a little bit!