The “Freshman 15” is a concern of many when arriving on campus. Dorm food, late-night study sessions with plenty of snacks and three coffee runs per day (all including frappucinos) may seem like a spare tire around your waist just waiting to happen. I came to campus completely out of shape, and I wanted to do something about it. Thankfully, I’m on a campus that’s entirely prepared to help students get in shape.

According to Best College Reviews, the University has the 19th best recreation facility in the nation. A large part of this, 340,000 square feet to be exact, is the Activities and Recreation Center. You’ll come to know this as simply “the ARC.”

The ARC has every fitness machine for weightlifting and cardio that you could ever imagine, as well as plenty of free weights and two swimming pools: one indoor, one outdoor. If cardio machines and running aren’t your thing, try out the rock climbing wall or go for a run on the indoor track. Even if you’ve never rock climbed before, there are plenty of classes and resources available for newbies. There are also group fitness classes, and if you’re a dancer (or a closet hula hooper like myself), you can rent fully mirrored rooms in which to practice. Students can rent the rooms for one hour at no cost. To reserve one, stop by the ARC on the same day you plan to use the room. The options for working out at the ARC are endless.

If you’re like me and you want to build muscle but you’re not exactly sure how to do it, I highly recommend enlisting the help of one of ARC’s personal trainers. The personal trainers at the ARC are students, too, so they understand your crazy schedule. If you’re nervous about working out in front of someone else, remember these trainers see people working out every day. It’s their job to help you improve, and they want to help you get better. Plus, because they’re fellow students, conversation comes easy. You’ll find common ground much faster than you think. Personal training isn’t necessarily cheap, but students do get a discount.

If you can’t afford a personal trainer but you still want to lift, check out some YouTube videos to observe proper form. Or, be brave and ask one of the ARC staff members to show you how to use a kettle bell or that one weight machine that looks terrifying. You’ll be happy you asked, and I bet they will be, too.

Biking around campus is the quickest and easiest way to get exactly where you need to go, in my experience. Driving requires paying for gas and paying for parking. As college students, the less we have to pay for, the better. Walking takes just long enough to make you late for class, and sometimes the buses are awfully crowded. Skip all of these inconveniences, get yourself some exercise and hop on a bike.

I’ve mentioned a lot of features about the fantastic ARC, but don’t forget about the Campus Recreation Center East. It might be more convenient to you and offers many of the same options the ARC offers. To get more information on any ARC or CRCE classes, activities, programs or anything else, stop by and ask questions. The staff are more than willing to help and have always pointed me in the right direction.

Janelle is a senior in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].