Exercise as a requirement

The Romans had an apt saying that captures my sentiment: “A healthy mind, in a healthy body.” I have no intention of arguing that exercise is good for us; that point is hardly disputed (especially because Princeton is a particularly fit campus). But I will make note of the commonly acknowledged benefits in order to remind everyone that there are profound implications of a consistent fitness regimen. Exercise can improve overall mood, aid focus, deepen sleep, fight sickness, lower body-fat and enhance energy levels. It is in the interests of both the students and the University to promote programs that have positive implications for productivity and happiness — granted, it is difficult to measure happiness. The broadening and deepening of our horizons should not be limited to intellectual and social pursuits but should include health.

This time is a juncture in our lives where we are building routines and priorities for our futures. By instituting an exercise requirement, the University could teach us the importance of budgeting time for our physical well-being. I am not recommending Princeton coddle its students and make them perform activities that they are mature enough to handle on their own. Many universities have physical education requirements, including Cornell and Brandeis University. Classes and extracurricular activities consume the vast majority of our headspace, and it hardly seems that we have the time or wherewithal to complete more requirements. But life gets busier from here on out. We will eventually have jobs, families and various responsibilities that exhaust the limited resource that is our time. If the habit of exercise is to be ingrained in our beings, now is the time for it — in our formative years.

There is also arguably an added element of stress inherent in the introduction of any sort of additional forced time allocation. The negative stress-induced effects, however, would be mitigated by the stress-relieving qualities of working out. Exercise has been proven to reduce stress-related hormones such as cortisol and increase the pleasure-inducing neurotransmitters known as endorphines. Students would have slightly less time to call their own, but the quality of that slightly diminished time would be enhanced.

I understand the natural angst this proposition might create due to existing work-induced time limitations. It is important to note that 17 percent of the student body is made up of student-athletes, all of whom have to balance sports and academics in a way that compromises neither. Introducing a fitness requirement for the remaining 83 percent of students would equalize student responsibilities. Non-athletes would have a workload slightly more comparable to that of the athletes, who don’t get a break for having added responsibilities. I understand that we are all busy and that proposing this reform during midterm week is likely to elicit an especially piqued response, but I believe that it is nonetheless important to consider the benefits of having more reason to work out, no matter the time of year.

This requirement could be very flexible in nature. The requirement could be filled in an assortment of ways, just as the quantitative reasoning requirement can be met by taking AST 203: The Universe (affectionately referred to as “stars for stoners”). Varsity athletes would fulfill this requirement with their already rigorous and thorough training regimens. Playing a club sport could also serve to fulfill this requirement, as long as there is consistency in attendance. Even going to the gym could be a vehicle for satisfying the proposed requirement. Having a Dillon Gymnasium trainer sign off on a student’s hours spent exercising would count. Perhaps the physical education program could be rounded out with some form of short information-based online course or lecture series — just as the University requires with alcohol information for incoming freshmen.

Based on observation, Princeton tends to be a fit and health-conscious campus: There are many varsity athletes and the gymnasium is often full. For most students this policy would cause little change to daily routine, other than encouraging consistency. The proposed idea would be easy to implement, since the club-sport and gymnasium infrastructures are already in place. The effects of such a program are healthy and lasting. Enhanced physical fitness should be an additional way in which we would leave Princeton better people than when we came in.

Aaron Applbaum is a freshman from Oakland, Calif. He can be reached at applbaum@princeton.edu.