Geeks on a Budget: Another Alternative to the Gym
I know I’ve written about alternatives to the gym before, but I felt the need to focus on a particular alternative to the gym given the current national economic situation, New Year’s Resolutions, and my own recent experience. There’s one that definitely should have been on the list that I left off as it involved a contract of sorts. So what is this mysterious alternative? Simple! Enroll in fitness classes at your local junior college!
Here are a few reasons why this is a good idea:
1. Money Saved
Now keep in mind, I’m basing this off of typical prices and my own experience. My husband and I were paying $70 each month at California Family Fitness. I have a friend that pays $19 each month for Fitness 19. Now, classes at my school, American River College, are $42 per unit at sixteen weeks. So for roughly four months, I was paying $280 and my friend pays $76. Since most of the fitness classes are either one or a half unit course, that’s quite the savings!
2. The Social Aspect
I personally hate going to the gym because of all of the skinny and fit people who practically live there and I (maybe wrongly) secretly think are judging me. It isn’t really a confidence or self-image issue; I’m happy with myself, but it has happened before. In general, most of the people taking a fitness class at a junior college are going to be in your situation or a student trying to get a P.E. credit. Also, fitness classes tend to be rather large, so there’s less chance of you being noticed if you have a bit of social anxiety (they do tend to thin out, no pun intended, by midterm).
3. Perks
My school has a track for walking/running, a nature trail for easy hiking, and allows students enrolled in P.E. classes to use other gym facilities when there are no classes going on. Furthermore, many colleges have clubs for other interests, well-stocked libraries for personal reading, a cafeteria, print services, minor health services, and other on-campus events. If you’re already a student, this will be credit towards your GPA as well!
So there it is, a quick and easy list of why taking fitness classes at a junior college is a smarter choice than going to the gym. While you may be limited in some of your options, you still get a structured experience and plenty of other opportunities to broaden your horizons. Enjoy!
Geeks on a Budget is a weekly column about saving money without sacrificing the geek lifestyle.
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