As a freshman, it’s easy to get caught up in the possibility of the dreaded “freshman 15.” BU’s Late Nite Café almost encourages bad food decisions. Dominant items on display include nachos smothered in processed cheese and fried “beef,” whole bags of Doritos, and chicken wraps featuring delicious shredded cheese, breaded (or grilled, but who does that?) chicken and one piece of lettuce. Who would eat carrots when they sell Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Creme bars? Who would not buy that tub of glorious French onion dip? These are the questions to ponder.
According to the Wall Street Journal, a new study shows that a 15-lb gain is a rather extreme estimate. Instead, there seems to be a trend of what’s labeled the “college creep;” women tend to gain around 9 pounds over the course of four years, while men gain around 13 pounds. So while it’s not as bad as gaining 15 pounds in one year, it’s still weight gain. Shoot.
But, wait! BU has come to save the day. Or at least, to provide a slightly discounted Fitness and Recreation Center (FitRec) membership to alumni and faculty members so it’s easier to work off those extra pounds post-graduation.
FitRec, located at 915 Commonwealth Avenue, is a great gym facility that also boasts a climbing wall, lap pool and lazy river, as well as various rooms for fitness classes. The FitRec “Ultimate Gym Experience: Member Open House,” which runs from December 3-9, utilizes these facilities to present activities that draw in potential members that might not normally hit up the gym for cardio. “It’s kind of just a special opportunity to let faculty, staff and alumni who never really use this facility, that haven’t been here before, to come in and try it for free for a week,” says Todd Stewart, a manager at FitRec. The open house includes the opportunity to sign up for the popular 6-month plan, spanning January to June, with the addition of December at no cost.
The classes seem to be the big hit. Stewart adds, “There’s a lot of classes we offer. This year we’ve kind of increased our class offering because a lot of people really enjoy the classes.” This year classes offered include cycling, family climbing wall lessons and yoga.
The open house is an event that happens every year, one of which many people take advantage. “This year we’ve had close to 500 people pre-register, and we also have people that just drop in,” Stewart says. Pre-registering comes with a reward, too: a free backpack cooler and the chance to win a 6-month membership at no charge. So take notes, present students, because no one wants to be the victim of the “college creep. *”
*I’m almost positive every girl has, at one time or another, been a victim of a “college creep.”
For more information about “Ultimate Gym Experience: Membership Open House,” including the dates and times of specific classes, visit http://www.bu.edu/fitrec/membership/services/upcoming.shtml
