So this year, I’ve decided to write my blogs as lessons rather than the ramblings of my previous blogs.
To start off the splendid New Year, I thought I’d write about something most Americans face in the first few months– New Years resolutions. More specifically the resolution to work out more, you know, get into better shape. Wondering where the lesson is? Here it comes:
Working out is great, magnificent you could even say. It gives you energy, endorphins, speeds up your metabolism, is good for your heart, well, you get the picture, it’s just plain good!
However; walking long distances in below freezing weather while in shorts is a bad idea. It can lead to windburn, frostbite, and potentially the loss of your legs…okay, well it might not be that extreme, but there’s still the chance. Now I didn’t do this, but my room mate did.
Picture it, blue skys, you notice a slight breeze floating throughout the trees as you get ready in your dorm room for your splendid work out experience. Donning a t-shirt, hoodie, and athletic shorts you make your way out to your friends car, waiting for you in the parking lot. The two of you are headed down to Merner for a quick run.
After you’ve worked up a proper sweat in the 77° weight room, it’s time to go. This is when you realize that you are going to Kaufmann for dinner, and your friend is headed back to the Huntington Apartments, thus eliminating your ride back to…dun dun dunnnnnn North End.
Your ever so gracious friend drops you at K-mann, and proceeds to depart. With a brave face, you enter into the dining hall, eager to eat quickly and speed walk back across campus to your toasty Kimmel room. Upon completing your ‘trayless’* meal, you take one last look around for anyone you know with a car, brace yourself, and, having not seen any other alternatives, make a break for it.
Immediately you feel the cold rush against your skin. At first it’s not so bad, refreshing in a way. You walk past Rall, cross the street and continue to pass Jefferson Plaza and Pheifer Hall. That’s when the stinging sets in, you begin to run.
By the time you reach your dorm room your poor legs no longer have feeling. You curl up into a ball underneath your sheets in a desperate attempt to regain any type of sensation in your tingling and throbbing appendages. Silently you curse that blue sky and vow to never set foot outside the dorm in winter without proper leg attire again.
So as you can see, when walking to Merner in winter term, it is better to wear pants, even if you are getting a ride. You never know when your plans may change, or the wind chill may drop way, way, waaaay below zero. Such are the joys of living on North End.
*trayless meals refer to North Central’s valiant attempt to become more green, by reducing trays in Kaufmann, the amount of water used by the school is reduced, as well as the amount of food wasted by student.