One of the most interesting things about a college campus is the diversity all throughout campus. Sure chances are that everybody on campus shares the common interest of nature and the outdoors, but most people are probably interested in totally different things. This is evidenced by the fact that there are several different clubs ranging from the draft horse club to the anime club. Someone who sits in their dorm room and doesn’t leave to explore the campus and its people is truly missing out.
I work out every day, so it was only a matter of time before I utilized the campus gym and dance room. The first time I went to the campus gym/dance room I had no idea what to expect because I had always exercised by myself in my basement, never with any other people (other than the occasional family member). It turns out that it is not too hard to work out with other people around, and it can actually be more interesting because I find that I talk to some different people that I may not have otherwise talked to. I think it is easier to talk to these people because I share a common interest in fitness or working out.
Throughout the several times that I have worked out in the dance room, I’d say that I have encountered several different issues that people are dealing with around the campus community. I remember talking with one guy named Mitch before working out one night. The conversation eventually moved to the condition of my feet and legs. Mitch said that it’s great that I’m in better shape than most kids on campus who don’t have anything holding them back physically. Another similar incident in the dance room has happened several times while I am working out on Tuesday nights. A guy and a girl (whom I assume are a couple) come in and try to do the “Insanity” workout. While I was working out, I said to them, “Oh, are you guys doing the Insanity workout program”. The girl immediately responded by laughing and saying, “We’re trying anyways”. I don’t mean to sound all high and mighty, but you could tell that the couple wasn’t in very good shape, but it really got me thinking. They are in such better shape than most people on campus because they’ve taken the initiative to get into shape rather than sit around and watch television all day. This is similar to what Mitch said to me because he praised me for making the best of my situation rather than sitting in my dorm room playing video games all day. This really tells me that physical fitness could be a problem around campus. Everybody know about the “Freshman 15”, but working out in the dance room shows me that some people, including myself, are genuinely concerned with the health and fitness of the campus.
Going to the dance room to work out has undoubtedly helped me connect with other people on campus. When I am exercising I am in my niche, which means that it is easier for me to open up to others. This is definitely the case when I work out in the dance room. I talk to people in the dance room that I probably wouldn’t talk to outside of the room. The fact that people are in the dance room working out automatically tells me that they share a similar interest in fitness or exercising, which I wouldn’t be able to tell just by seeing them around campus. I now recognize those people when I see them on campus, outside of the dance room, and it is easier to approach and talk to them knowing that we have shared interests.
Even though the number of people I have met in the dance room is a small sample of all Paul Smith’s students, it has helped me to better understand the campus as a whole. The dance room is an example of the diversity around campus because many people use the same room for completely different things. I know that I myself have used the room for workouts such as plyometrics, kenpo (a mix of cardio and karate), yoga, and core synergistics. I have seen other people use the room for dancing, martial arts, workouts similar to my own, and even just play music very loudly. The variety of activities in the dance room shows the variety of interests and goals across campus.
When you look at the students on a college campus, you can easily see a lot of diversity. At the same time, you will also see a lot of things that the students have in common. For example, here at Paul Smith’s, you will see a lot of boots and clothes suited for the outdoors. This shows that while we may have similar beliefs such as a love of the outdoors, we are all still different. I think the dance room on campus serves as a microcosm of this concept. This concept makes me think of the quote, “Variety is the spice of life”. In this case, I’d like to modify the quote to what I originally heard from Tony Horton in a P90X workout. Tony says, “Variety is the spice of fitness”. I couldn’t agree more with both quotes because variety in someone’s life just makes them better, because they are more able to adapt to anything that may come up in their life. This is the same in the world of fitness, which is evidenced by the Paul Smith’s College dance room. There is a good number of people who use the room, but usually not for the same things. This collectively shows that fitness, like life, is better with variety. The dance room here at Paul Smith’s has shown me this, and I’ll never forget it.
In this video, Tony Horton talks about his first “law of fitness” – variety.
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