Guest Post: Get going! Physical activity ambassador finds ways to really move on campus

Photo provided by the Facutly of Physical and Health Education
Soccer photo provided by the Faculty of Physical Education and Health
Hello lifeatuoft readers! I'm Kate, and I'm excited to be writing a post for lifeatuoft as a special guest blogger. As a Masters of Public Health student here at the University of Toronto and a part-time physical activity ambassador, it’s safe to say that a large portion of my day is filled with “health” talk. Now, I love learning and talking about the importance and benefits of being physically active, but it’s easy to let life get in the way of actually being physically active. This year I’ve decided that I need to make more of an effort to practice what I preach, or, make that, study… Plus, I need to take advantage of the fact that I’m lucky enough to get the inside scoop on the options we’ve got at U of T. September’s here in full swing and the wave of back-to-school craziness never ceases to amaze me. It’s such an exciting and overwhelming time. And I have experienced my fair share of back to school madness! I had a humbling moment last week, when I realized that this is the sixth September in a row that, as summer came to a close, my mind shifted from bikinis and BBQs to textbooks, new pens, and starting back at university! It’s easy to be overwhelmed; we’re inundated with information about clubs to join, volunteer positions to take on, back-to-school parties and basically ways to get connected on campus, but in the end you need to find a way to wade through it all and find a few things that really appeal to you. For me, back-to-school is the “new New Year’s” in terms of resolution-making. Every September, without fail, I print off the fitness classes, obnoxiously highlight classes which fit into my schedule and tell myself and anyone else who will listen, that I am going to go to the gym ALL THE TIME. The truth is I go less than I would like to, but I feel like this is the experience of many women on campus (guys too I am sure, but let’s just say I have first-hand experience as a woman struggling to fit physical activity in with everything else). Thanks to my role as physical activity ambassador, I’ve been able to sneak a peek at a bunch of opportunities on campus to help students get healthy and have some fun and find something that really suits them. Some of the options that have got me excited? In no particular order, they involve food and fitness (the ying to yang let’s say). Okay, specifically I am super excited about the Farmer’s Market that is happening every Thursday from 2:00-5:00p.m. in the Wilcox Common (organic cheese please!) and the free, drop-in Frosh Fit classes at the Athletic Centre (take it from me, they are NOT only for frosh). Finally, there’s this event called “She’s Got Game” that sounds pretty cool to me. It’s a women-only event (sorry guys…) to be held on September 16th from 3:30-6:00p.m. at Varsity Centre. It’s a chance to casually trying new things like Zumba, soccer, yoga and flag football. There will be plenty of info on intramural opportunities as well. Plus, did I mention the FREE food and great prizes? If you are like me, the real battle is actually getting out there and trying something new for the first time. Once I actually try something, I realize that it is totally doable and usually really enjoyable. This Friday is a perfect chance to do just that. I hope you all get out there and find something on campus that excites you, because trust me, there is no time like the present to get involved in something that is fun and helps you feel great!

0 comments on “Guest Post: Get going! Physical activity ambassador finds ways to really move on campus

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


*