Senior kinesiology major
That buzzing from my cellphone alarm works its way into my sleep-fogged brain. Buzz, buzz … it is constant, unrelenting and my own fault. I had not correctly followed my academic plan, and suddenly I found I needed a two-credit activity course to meet my major’s three-credit benchmark requirement.
So I signed up for ARMY104: Basic Army Physical Fitness II, a physical training course designed to get a person in good shape. I’m an athletic guy so I thought, “I’m up to this.” It seemed like a good idea at the time.
That was until the first morning, when I had to get to class by 6:30 a.m. and be awake enough not to injure myself during a 90-minute program of serious, strenuous calisthenics, sprints, runs and other endurance-building routines.
And I had this class three times a week.
When spring semester began and I had to drag myself from my warm bed into the frigid morning air, the question crept into my mind, “What in the world did I get myself into?” It didn’t matter; I had no choice but to follow through with my decision.
During the first few weeks, I actually looked forward to the cold weather. Jogging during class in the frigid air numbed my sore muscles like a giant ice pack; it was the warming up that was a bit painful. We would perform various exercises, from 25-pound rucksack marches to abdominal workouts that never seemed to end.
Between the lack of sleep, perpetual cold and never-ending soreness, I was not a happy man.
After a few weeks of these intense early-morning workouts, I began to take notice of the number of benefits this class was providing me, both mentally and physically.
I began to be able to run faster and longer. Suddenly, push-ups and crunches were becoming easier to perform. Most importantly, I began to feel healthier mentally.
It took a while for me to realize that, regardless of my crabbing, grumbling, groaning and lack of sleep, the results of my activity course had crept up on me and had become, well, beneficial.
It is common knowledge that a regular routine of physical training contributes to making the body stronger, and often leaner, while becoming more defined and gaining more muscular endurance. But this routine also strengthened my resolve to challenge myself and schedule my day (and sleep schedule) more effectively, giving a boost to my mental alertness and even improving my diet.
So, as I have often heard said, some blessings come in disguise — or, in this case, in the dark.
Ian Lacy is a junior kinesiology major. He can be reached at ianlacy19@gmail.com.
