Pressure to get fit to fit in
Amy Schill
Dazed and Amused
I'm not a healthy person. My idea of peak physical condition is being able to walk to DeBartolo without getting a side stitch. Back at home, this wasn't a problem. Sure, experts advocated regular exercise, but most people got enough physical exertion from running away from Governor Bush, who was constantly trying to execute us all. I, however, managed to distract little Georgie with a shiny object, allowing me to concentrate on my Ben & Jerry's and poor educational system. This system worked out well for me and I was ready to continue my high-cholesterol lifestyle, to live the typical pizza-eating, beer-drinking, Animal House-watching college life. But, unfortunately, this isn't any college.
This is Notre Dame. Our Lady of the Treadmill.
From the moment I arrived here, it seemed like everyone was on a health kick. My friends were constantly at one of the several exercise facilities (which I'm sure have names), lifting weights in the dorm or adding a nutrient supplement to their fruit smoothies. Once at confession, the priest made me say five Hail Mary's and do 30 minutes on the Ab Slide.
Around March last year, the pressure to fit into the well-toned Notre Dame family finally got to me. Despite the fact that my previous exercise experience here consisted only of wandering into Rolf's accidentally while looking for mayonnaise, I decided to launch a full-scale fitness program. My friend Allen, a guy who if you ask him to flex, pulls out his ID card and goes to the Huddle, agreed to join me. Here is an account of our program.
Amy and Allen's Fitness Fandango Spectacular 2000. Day one: jogged around the lakes a couple of times. Day two: speed-walked to Reckers. Got some mayonnaise for the road. Spring break. The end.
Yeah. Well, between Allen's chemistry tests and my ... napping, it was difficult to find time to get together to work out. We still meet regularly for cheese sticks, however.
Well, exercise just doesn't seem to be for me. I'm just going to have to find other ways to fit in, like listening to Guster and drinking a lot more. The sacrifices I make for this school. So no, despite seeing everyone around me working out, I don't exercise, but unlike in high school, I now feel really, really guilty about it. Hey, I never said I wasn't a good Catholic.
Amy Schill is a sophomore English major. Amy enjoys cheese and all cheese related products.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, November 9, 2000
