Say "goodbye" to the gym and "hello" to spring weather

What's better than spending hours in a gym with about 600 other college students fighting to find a treadmill? For me, just about anything. Luckily there are plenty of other ways to get exercise on a college campus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults get a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week and do muscle-strengthening activities twice per week. Walking is a great way to meet those guidelines- that's 30 minutes five days per week. Whenever you have spare time, grab a friend and go on a walk. I've found that taking walks with my friends is a great way to catch up and also a great way to relax and relieve stress. During the day, I always find myself stressed out about classes, homework and a bunch of other little things, but walking at night has helped me to relieve at least a little bit of that stress.

Another one of my favorite things to do to get exercise is rollerblading. The health benefits of rollerblading can actually match those of running and cycling, and rollerblading is fun. Its a great alternative to running and it helps to strengthen the muscles and the connective tissues surrounding the ankles, knees and hips. On campus here at Ohio University the bike path out by the river is a great place to rollerblade- but if you are new to rollerblading i would suggest protective equipment, such as wrist guards, because it can be a little tricky.

There are so many other things that you can do to get exercise on a college campus, like playing any kind of sport (example: lacrosse, soccer, basketball) outside with your friends, but rollerblading and walking are two of my favorites. With activities like that you can enjoy the beautiful spring weather and get your workout in without all the craziness of a crowded gym.