I Thought I Left P.E. in High School
November 28, 2009 | Alicia Ostarello
You can get college credit for this!
If you thought the last time you were dressing out for PE was in high school, dream on – colleges across the country are taking a cue from Columbia University and Swarthmore College and are beginning to latch onto the idea of required physical education for students.
Naturally, students are wont to feel put-out by these requirements – several make arguments against physical activity based on personal preference to not work-out, or simply loath the feeling of being klutzy around their peers. PE was not a fun place in high school (unless you were a bully and liked throwing dodgeballs at the heads of your classmates).
However, the point of attending a university, at least in my understanding, is to both gain a broader perspective of the world by learning a smidge about several different subjects (hence general education requirements) and to narrow your focus to one particular field (hence your major); so why wouldn’t having a physical education requirement fit into the university system? We’re required to take science courses even if we’re not scientifically minded (I thanked my lucky stars for Dr. Zimmerman’s Intro to Astronomy), write essays when we’re not English fanatics, and squiggle numbers around even if math terrifies us more than zombies. Engaging in an education of our bodies is just as important as improving our minds.
What I do not condone is the limb Lincoln University has branched out to. LU is only requiring obese students – those who fall into an unhealthy BMI range – to take PE and Health courses. In an interview with one of the students at LU, Tiana Lawson, she stated, “If Lincoln truly is concerned about everyone being healthy, then everyone should have to take this gym class, not just people who happen to be bigger.” And I have to agree.
Colleges should have a say in the health education of all students, not just some. You don’t get to opt out on a history requirement because you are a returning student of an older age and lived through a lot of recent history. Nor does an advisor hand you a “Get out of the arts free!” card if you’re already an accomplished musician. Everyone can benefit from more education on any subject, so place more capable and fitness-minded students in a different class, but don’t overlook the chance to educate them. Columbia offers a seemingly endless list of PE choices to fulfill their requirement, including diving, cardio dance, and weight lifting.
What is nice about any field of study in college is that you get a choice in what you take – this applies to PE as well. If you hate volleyball, you can take bowling, dance, water polo, ultimate Frisbee, and a whole host of other classes to get your PE-on. Education requirements are not a punishment – they’re a tool to push you out of your comfort zone and hopefully inspire you to love learning and see value in what you do.
