After the first few months of college, the thrill of going to the East Gym has pretty much worn off. The walk becomes more and more unbearable, your workload piles up and your baggy clothes conveniently hide your fat self anyway. If you’re finding yourself falling into the pre-winter slump, you’re not alone. The gym can begin to seem like a dreary place where dreams go to die, but there are plenty of things you can do to stay fit instead of going to the gym. So while you’re feeling lazy, here are some exercise ideas available at Binghamton University.
1. Exercise in your room — If you don’t have workout DVDs, go to YouTube immediately. YouTube literally has thousands upon thousands of workout videos of all sorts. From kickboxing to Zumba, yoga to CrossFit, you can find anything you’re looking for. Just look for videos with a high number of views; you’re pretty much set. The majority of workouts don’t require too much space or equipment; just consider that your roommate might think you’re a freak.
2. Hike in the Nature Preserve while you still can — Winter is approaching fast, so get in there fast. The scenic views and winding trails will keep your mind occupied, unlike checking the distance or calories burned on a treadmill every 30 seconds.
3. Run through the neighborhood behind campus — Jogging the Brain can become tedious, and you’re constantly worrying about who you might run into while heaving and sweating so glamorously. Vestal has a nice suburban feel, and you can even end up in University Plaza to visit a friend. A friend named Chipotle. And subsequently, a friend called regret. You guys are pretty close.
4. Use your stairs — While dorm buildings may not have gym equipment, they do have plenty of stairs. You can burn up to 100 calories running up and down the stairs for just 10 minutes. Even just taking the stairs instead of the elevator every day can make a difference.
5. Do homework standing up — Simply standing instead of sitting can help you burn 20 to 50 more calories an hour. Prop your dorm bed up on a high height, and use it as a desk. Your roommate already thinks you’re crazy, so it’s all fair game now.
6. Dance at the bars — When we think of going Downtown, we imagine the drinks, the hook-ups and the drunk food. We seldom consider that this weekly ritual can actually be a workout. You can burn up to 500 calories per hour while dancing — who knew the bars could have any effect on your health aside from STDs?
7. Co-rec sports — While you have to be decent at sports to join a club team or University sports team (except for basketball), literally anyone with four limbs can thrive at co-rec. These sports aren’t taken too seriously, but they’re perfect for getting up and moving around.
If all else fails, get up and move for at least 15 minutes a day; then you can go back to your work, which of course means your Netflix binge. (For a guide to that, see our Netflix article.)