Everything about Penn State is huge. Whether it’s the total we raise for THON, the network of alumni, the amount of seats in Beaver Stadium or the number of students, it’s only logical that we have a huge campus to host all these people and activities.
Though you may detest the size of our campus when running late to class or trekking through Happy Valley’s bitter winter, it definitely has benefits for our health.
Well, apparently I haven’t mastered scheduling because I always seem to have classes in obscure nooks of campus. (Ever have a class in Keller? Is that even on campus anymore?) But deep down, these lengthy voyages are for the best — walking to class is a workout that isn’t optional.
Though college isn’t usually associated with the healthiest habits, we’re more active now than ever. These four years are like no other schedule we’ll ever have. As far as I’m concerned, nine-to-five office jobs probably won’t give us the opportunity to stretch our legs ever 50 minutes.
It’s hard not to wonder how far we actually walk each day, how much time we spend walking and how many calories we burn. I thought about investing in a pedometer, but University Health Services actually maps it all out for us.
Various maps are available online to download depending on your residence hall and location. Check it out for yourself at http://healthypennstate.psu.edu/downloads.shtml.
You can calculate how many calories you burn based on your daily paths and weight, assuming you walk about 3 mph. To give you a basic image of the distances, for example, East Halls is about .67 of a mile from the library.
Next time you fret over how far away your next class or club meeting is, think about all the miles you cover and calories you burn!
Photo by Rhiannon Hedrick
