Gymming

Happy summer everyone! My name is Ashlee Palm and I am a senior in Mechanical Engineering and a WEPO 2014 Mentor! Welcome to the best university there is! The decision to study engineering at Penn State and become part of our big Nittany Lion family is going to change your life -- and we are so happy that you’re coming here!

Like most things in college, it’s easy to let working out slip to the side in your new exciting life full of classes, new friends, Thon, and clubs. As a lover of all things that have to do with working out, I’m here to tell you about your options for working out on campus at Penn State!

Rec Hall: Rec Hall is a huge building next to the West Halls that has a cardio loft, weight room, indoor track, and gyms for pickup games. There are courts for various indoor sports here too. A few of the fitness classes are held in Rec. I go to Rec to use the cardio equipment and lift because it is huge, so there is always a machine open somewhere. Watch out during peak hours though; you may have to wait for a treadmill!

White Building: White Building is right behind the HUB (if you can find it through the construction!) and has a smaller gym area similar to Rec in the basement and some classrooms/gyms for fitness classes (we’ll get to these later). This is perfect if you live in South or Pollock because it is less than a five minute walk!

IM Building: The IM building is next to East Halls and was just remodeled and reopened in March of this year! While I have never been here, I’ve heard fantastic reviews and the pictures look amazing. Since it is so close to East, I imagine a lot of you will find a home here. It has classrooms for fitness classes, cardio equipment, and weights.

Fitness Classes: When in doubt, I can be found in Calorie Killer or Power Remix. Fitness classes are my favorite way to work out at school. Classes are taught by other students who show you a great time while you work up a sweat. Become a regular at some of these and you’ll even make friends with the instructors! We’ve got everything from yoga, to Calorie Killer (a HIIT class) to Zumba and cycling. There’s a class for everyone and they take place seven days a week from around 8 am to 8 pm.

Wondering how to join? Membership to all of this and more can be found at this website: http://www.athletics.psu.edu/fitness/membership.html. You can purchase a membership for the whole year and save a few dollars, or buy a semester at a time. If you ever need a workout buddy, let me know! I’m always willing to hit the gym with friends and blow off some steam from an exam or a whole day of studying! Working out is one of the best ways to relieve stress.

Can’t wait to see ya’ll in August! Have a beautiful summer and welcome to Penn State.

Ashlee Palm is a senior in Mechanical Engineering, and she is a Mentor for WEPO '14!