College Essay # 180

 180. Should college students be required to take physical education courses?

College is a big step. It defines you as an adult, who is responsible of his/her surroundings, actions, and life as a whole. College students learn how to prioritize, learn how to become independent and work to earn money. Asking a question such as this seems petty, because I think the answer is pretty clear here. Mind me if I sound a bit … awestricken by this question. I feel that students should not be required to take physical education courses.

Throughout elementary, middle, and half of high school, I was required to take PE classes. This is because the education system was trying to teach me, among other students, that being fit is important. Exercising and eating a balanced meal will make you a stronger and healthier person. Being a junior in high school now, I don’t have any PE classes. Even if I did want to have PE classes, I don’t have enough space in my schedule to put PE as a course. I don’t even have any study halls, how can I put PE in. But the thing is, I DO was to have PE. I’ve found myself to be very lazy and inactive because of the lack of exercise.  Wanting to exercise, I have found little time. Its either get up at 5 in the morning to reach the gym at 6:30, or stop studying to go to the gym after school. But then I took the initiative to try out for the basketball team, and because of this action, I can be fit. I will have tons of practices to work hard towards the tournament and make myself a healthier person as well.

I’m mentioning this because, obviously, college students have a lot more work than high school students do. They may feel the same way about the workload and about the jobs they had to do to make money, and so on and so on. But here is where time management comes it. If you want to make time to do something, then I’m sure every individual has the capacity to make some time. Also, administrators don’t need to ‘baby’ college students. They know that exercise benefits and no exercise harms. And it is up to them to decide whether they need to or not. It should not be required because college students are old enough to make their decisions on their own, and don’t need to be told what to do.