Late night pizza binges, unlimited meal plans and occasional keg stands have long been the scapegoat for college weight gain. On the other hand, between the built-in gym membership and myriad athletic teams, college is also an environment conducive to an active lifestyle. For those students who don't want to commit to a varsity team, there are a dizzying variety of fitness choices.
One such option combining academics and athletics is offered through Tufts' Department of Physical Education (PE), which offers athletics classes that can count for up to two credits toward graduation. These classes meet approximately twice a week as a regular class and span the entire semester.
Because the courses count for credit, they are often more challenging than other fitness classes. However, this accountability serves as motivation to follow a regimented exercise routine.
As well as offering courses for credit, the PE department sponsors mini-courses. Since the program's inception 10 years ago, it has expanded from offering only a modest number of classes "to the point where there are now waitlists for a few of our courses," Assistant Athletics Director Branwen Smith-King said in an e-mail to the Daily.
As opposed to courses for credit, mini-courses generally meet once a week for 10 weeks. They are open to all members of the Tufts community and are taught by both full-time staff and part-time instructors from outside the PE department.
Smith-King explained that the mini-courses, which range from $40 to $100 depending on the class, came about to "provide affordable opportunities on campus for students, staff and the faculty to engage in a variety of fitness activities."
Freshman Rachel Kornetsky, who takes part in the Cardio, Strength and Pilates class, praised her mini-course. "The teacher is really energetic, so it gets the class motivated," she said.
The PE department also offers a program known as the Tufts Personalized Performance Program. The program began seven to eight years ago with the mission to ameliorate the trend of bad habits that often emerges in college.
Fitness Program Manager Dan Kopcso explained that the findings of the Tufts Longitudinal Health Study, which took place between 1998 and 2007, prompted the department to take initiatives to provide students with opportunities to acquire lasting healthy habits.
"[The study] found that kids don't have the same passion for staying healthy in college," Kopcso said.
Every student at Tufts is eligible to receive five free personal training sessions, taught by either a certified staff member or a student. Instructors are "just people who happen to have a passion for fitness," Kopcso said.
Following the completion of five free sessions, students can opt to continue their training. Each additional session is $25 if taught by a nationally certified trainer and $100 for five sessions if the trainer has only passed the Tufts requirements — rates that make the sessions far more accessible than standard private training sessions.
Trainers are required to take and excel in the Advanced Principles of Exercise course prior to becoming eligible to participate. They must also have appropriate medical certifications.
All training sessions are individual. However, Kopcso recognizes the importance of friends in creating an environment most conducive to prolonged commitment to a program. "Friends provide motivation to stay with it," he said.
As a result, participants are not only permitted to bring friends to their sessions but can also receive discounts for sharing their exercise time.
Students looking for a way to stay fit can also participate in classes provided by Tufts Student Resources (TSR) which fill a niche for casual, convenient exercise opportunities designed to be easily accessible to students.
"The division is important for students to have another fitness outlet," TSR Fitness Manager Andrea Schpok said.
TSR classes boast flexibility and variety. In contrast to courses given by the PE department, which requires registration for individual courses, TSR allows students to attend all of its fitness classes. An unlimited semester pass for $99.99 provides access to all of the classes offered by TSR — and, as an added incentive, attending more classes equates to a lower overall cost per class.
A five-class pass, retailing at $19.99, allows students to attend five classes per semester, while an individual class is $5 for a drop-in.
Schpok said that compared to PE courses, "there's a different atmosphere [with TSR]. It feels like you're going with your friends, you make friends — it becomes a social thing."
TSR employs student instructors for all of its courses. CPR certification is required, as is a class demonstration prior to becoming an official instructor.
Senior Arielle Carpenter, inspired by her extensive experience in Pilates classes, decided to instruct a class for TSR. "My favorite part of teaching is passing my knowledge of Pilates onto other people," she said.
Alternatively, dance classes incorporate exercise with the chance to explore a new activity. Belly dancing caters to students who have "always wanted to try it but never had the chance," junior Patricia Pop said.
Pop instigated the belly dance program at Tufts, which currently provides weekly classes for beginner and intermediate students. Nikki Traylor-Knowles, named the best belly dancer in Boston in 2005, teaches the two classes.
As well as providing an exercise opportunity, belly dancing is a creative release that opens up chances to further explore the world of dance. Pop described the program as a "progressive funnel" that allows participants to "achieve any level of technical skill."
Classes are held Sunday evenings in Hill Hall. Beginner classes are $5 for a one-hour class, while intermediate classes are $10 for an hour and a half.
