physical fitness

The third essay assignment is to define an obscure or debatable term, concept or idea. I chose to define physical fitness. Sure, it seems like an easy topic--one that we are all pretty familiar with. After all, we strive to be "physically fit" and "in shape". What does this term actually mean? What is the cut-off for a physically fit person and one who is not? What are the determining factors? Is a physically fit person someone who can carry-out everyday functions without becoming fatigued, someone with a high lean body mass (low body fat), or a person who can run a few miles with no problem? Obviously, the standards for being considered "physically fit" can be quite controversial. In my essay, I will take into account multiple definitions of the term fitness. I will also discuss the components of fitness and the "guidelines" for becoming physically fit. I will be able to use some of my class instructors, exercise science magazine articles, the Internet, and exercise physiology textbooks as resources for my research. I am eager to get into my research, as this topic is both intriguing and relevant to my major.

I'll never understand..

One thing that I will never understand is why girls get all pretty and "made-up" to go to the gym. Apparently, the point of going to the gym is no longer to work out hard, break a good sweat, and improve physical fitness--but instead to impress those of the opposite sex. Yes, that is why spend hundreds of dollars a year on fitness club memberships. What a waste. Wearing skimpy, cleavage-lifting, low-cut clothing to run on the treadmill and bend in all sorts of positions can't actually be comfortable, can it? If anything, it would cause self-consciousness and unease...who knows what is going to accidentally pop out or be exposed. Going to the gym should be for the benefit of improving health, toning, losing weight--looking good once you walk out the doors. There is no need to impress the people inside with cute clothes and fake, made-up faces. Impress them with how fast you can run, how much weight you can lift, the intense calisthenics you do, and how much sweat drips off your forehead. Guys want to see a girl who can get sweaty and work hard, not who cares so much about what she looks like that she maintains a low heart rate in order to ensure her pores don't open up. Think about it.

Stress.

It's getting to be that time of year--school work is flowing at full force and it's time to start thinking about the future yet again. I had my advising appointment on Friday. As far as being able to complete the courses necessary for graduating on time, I am in good shape. However, there are a few extra courses that my advisor recommends that I take in order to better my chances of getting accepted into PT school. The problem is, every PT school seems to have different pre-requisites for admission. In reality, I have no idea where I want to go to grad school. I plan on applying to a large number of schools in hopes to keep my options open and possibly get financial help from one. Advising appointments are supposed to be a relief, as you are typically pointed in the right direction and reassured that everything is going to work out as planned. Friday's appointment, however, increased my level of stress. As a result, I began to research PT schools online this weekend. There are so many to chose from, and very few that I actually know something about. Being from Pennsylvania, it would be realistic to go back up north for grad school, as there are numerous PT schools in Pennsylvania. On the other hand, I really like it down south and think I may want to stay in North Carolina or possibly head further south. Basically, I'll go anywhere on the east coast that can offer me money. With that being said, I am going to try to be as open-minded as possible, take as many extra courses as possible, and work really hard to keep my GPA up in order to keep my options open for the future.

My Religion.

I am Catholic. I was Baptized in a Ukrainian Catholic Church, and was brought up attending a Roman Catholic Church. I went to a Catholic elementary school, and went to church religiously every Sunday and holiday up through my high school years. Though this is the way I was brought up, I don't necessarily agree with all of the ways of the religion. Catholic masses are very ritualistic--not that there is anything wrong with that, its just not completely my thing. I am more about hearing a great, meaningful sermon and singing praise in His name. When I came to college, I started going to a non-denominational Church of Christ. I love the people and I love the message. I feel more comfortable attending these masses--I fit in more. Though I still attend Catholic masses for holidays and when I go home, I have found comfort in my new church as well. Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful for the way I was brought up in a Catholic home. My parents, church family, and school community were so supportive and their morals will stick with me forever. I am so lucky to have such good-hearted people in my life.

Proposal.

Every university campus has its flaws. One of UNCW's biggest flaws is the lack of guidance provided to students. Sure, we have advisors that are supposed to help us through our decision-making and ensure that we stay on track and graduate on time. The problem is that our advisors sometimes do not know exactly what they are talking about when it comes to our individual needs, and on many occasions I have heard of people not graduating on time due to false guidance. Some students were encouraged to take classes that they later determined were unnecessary and a waste of time. Others were told that one class could take the place of another requirement, and one semester and lots of hard work later, came to find out this was not actually the case. I am not saying that ALL advisors are incompetent, but many have made a mistake here and there that have led to big consequences.

How, you may wonder, do I propose we fix this problem? I think the best way to avoid these stressful mistakes is to have an advising conference for all student advisors. The conference can provide an overview of basic studies requirements and what is expected of them and their students, and then may break the advisors into groups based upon majors and concentrations. Each advisor will be provided with specific guidelines and requirements that are crucial for their advisees. Any questions they may have will be answered. After the conference, everyone will be on the same page and will be much more informed on their concentrations and what is expected of them. With the advisors being more knowledgeable and aware of changes and happenings within their departments, they will be able to better assist their students and make for a less stressful academic career. Students will ultimately stay on track throughout their four years of college, and will not have to be concerned with taking extra, unnecessary courses that could set them back.

Its all about connections.

Networking is crucial. We are often told this, but do not actually understand how important it really is. Connections are everything. Its all about who you know. You can be over qualified for a job, but if you don't know somebody within the company or institution, chances are you won't get the position. My dad is a college professor in Pennsylvania. He teaches health and physical education classes, with a concentration in networking. He probably speaks more about networking than he does about the actual course topics. He realizes how important it is--after all, it has gotten him to where he is today. He seems to know everybody. If I ever need tickets to an event, someone's opinion on an occupation, help with a school assignment, or an interview with a professional, he knows exactly who to call. It blows my mind.

I realize that I haven't exactly gotten involved in as many extracurricular activities in college as I did in high school. Sure, I've been participating in intramurals for the past two years, but where is that going to get me in life? I've decided it is time to start making some changes. I need to start building my resume. I recently began an internship at a physical therapy clinic. Through that experience, I've also landed a babysitting job. This past weekend, I babysat the owner's three children. A physical therapist married to a family physician--I'd say that's a good connection to have! Not only is this going to help me make a little extra cash while I'm in school, but later down the road I will be able to use them as references. Who knows, maybe I'll even get a job at their clinic! I am also planning on joining a community service club on campus, and hopefully a club in my major as well. One of my professors is also encouraging me to join a national organization in the health and physical education field. I will have the opportunity to attend and present at a conference with him in November. All of these things are good resume builders and great ways to meet people. I am on the right track!

Dirty Dancing

Patrick Swayze, age 57, died on Monday, September 14 of pancreatic cancer. In his LA Times obituary, he is regarded as the charismatic star of one of the best date movies of all times. The article goes on to describe Swayze's roll in Dirty Dancing, the praise he received from critics, and the scene that put the movie at the top of the list. "Swayze delivers a line with swaggaring perfection. 'Nobody puts Baby in a corner,' he says as he defies her father and pulls her up for a final uplifting dance sequence." His dance moves were applauded, and continued to help him win hearts throughout his career. The author then goes on to say that Swayze turned down an offer for a sequel because he looked for curveballs in his life. She shared a personal statement made by Swayze, and then went on to examining the roles he took in the years following Dirty Dancing. The continuous theme throughout the obituary is Swayze's urge for adventure and his "wild-man edge". The author frequently relates back to this idea and uses specific examples of the roles he played and direct quotes as evidence for her claims.

Obituary writer Valerie J. Nelson uses the history of Swayze's acting career, critic reviews, quotes by Swayze, and personal opinions to form her evaluative argument. The majority of the evidence she used came from direct quotes--mostly from Patrick Swayze himself.