Day 25

Should college students be required to take physical education courses? Why or why not?

College students should not be required to take physical education courses. This requirement would make exercise a chore for all college students, and it would be unfair to students who would prefer to do other forms of exercise.

First of all, exercise should be fun and relaxing, not a chore and a requirement. Many college students enjoy forms of exercise like hiking and ultimate Frisbee, and love to hang out and play with their friends. Why should colleges have to force students into physical education classes that students may not even like? Besides, requiring college students to take P.E. courses won’t build healthy habits for students, because they won’t know how to fit exercise into their schedules later in life when it is their choice whether to exercise or not.

But wouldn’t a requirement of P.E. courses build a routine of exercise for students so they would be more likely to continue? Well, not really. No one likes being told what to do, so for students to see exercise as a school requirement would make them want to give it up.

Besides, many students, like myself, despise P.E. classes and prefer alternative forms of exercise. I don’t like organized team sports very much, but I love to lift weights, go to hot yoga classes, and walk or hike. Having the freedom to choose what exercise I would like to do is a very important idea for me, and having to take required exercise classes at a college would not be very beneficial, because I would have less time to engage in the forms of physical activity that I enjoy.

Colleges can support exercise and health in other ways, like helping to support and organize student led clubs, like running clubs, or groups of students who would like to go to the gym together. This way, the students are self-motivated in their exercise. Also, required P.E. classes would make exercise graded, and exercise shouldn’t add another grade and more stress about school, it should be a tool to reduce stress.