Sunspots (https://sunspots.cornellsun.com/tag/lifestyle/)
[Content warning: this article contains discussion of body image. Reader discretion is advised]
I was shocked when I got home and realized I had gained 15 pounds. First off, of course no teenage girl will be too thrilled about this. But what really shook me was how it even happened. Sure I snacked a lot and barely went to the gym, but none of that was new.
By the time December 26th rolls around, Instagram was suddenly flooded with memes revolved around the new year: Confessions of how awful 2019 was. Proclamations that 2020 will be the year. Resolutions for the months that lie ahead. Even if you’re not the biggest New Years Eve fan yourself — you know the type of person who has the glasses with the year awkwardly fit on them and a sparkly outfit perfect for when they live stream with their drunk friends all screaming “3! 2!
What many people don’t know is that having access to Cornell’s fitness centers also means having access to an array of group fitness classes – not just taught by elderly and overweight ex-PE teachers, but also your overly enthusiastic but super strong peers. Luckily, these classes span gyms across campus and boast tons of time slots – perfect for your 7 am Yoga or 7 pm HIIT. So if the freshman fifteen is hitting you hard, here are some of my favorite of Cornell’s Group Fitness Classes to get you started:
HIIT
Functional fitness using plyo box jumps, core bags, slam balls and more makes POWER H.I.I.T. the new Barry’s Bootcamp. Offered both weekdays and weekends, this workout is the perfect sweat sesh.
Score: 9/10
Times: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at Appel Commons
CU Row (shockwave):
It combines circuit training and water rowers to make you feel like you’re actually on the water. The circuit contains 8 stations: 6 strength exercises on the floor, and 2 cardio bursts on the water rower.
Since my first purchase of MUJI pens back in 2013, I’ve personally witnessed an exponential increase in the number of people carrying around the signature MUJI clear-bodied gel pens in class. While many of you probably have also been introduced to this brand’s signature stationery, there is actually a lot more to MUJI than meets the eye. The kanji characters in the MUJI logo, 無印良品, directly translate to “No Brand Quality Goods.” According to their website, the company actually originated when the country of Japan started to receive more influence from foreign, luxury brands back in the 1980s. At the same time, there was an increase in low-quality, cheap products. The founders of MUJI aimed to regain the middle ground between these polar opposite consumer trends by creating a brand that was “just enough.” They sought to create useful and high-quality products—without all the excess decorations.
If you tell me you’re in pursuit of happiness, I’ll tell you you’re awfully misguided (@KidCudi, wyd?). Happiness itself is simply a concept—a crude abstraction, nebulous by nature. People say it exists. I say: pics or it didn’t happen. A journey to a more ambiguous abstraction there never was.
I’m all about appreciating the small things in life. The conversations. The mental pictures. The seemingly insignificant experiences that we’ll remember forever (Can you tell I’m sentimental?). But there are other “small” things in life that I must admit get more attention than they probably should.