I have a confession. I never exercise. Team sports were never my thing. After about ten minutes on a treadmill, I’ve reached my running quota for the week. I used to dance, but a knee injury ended that, along with my promising dream of being a professional snowboarder.
Literally, the only sort of aerobic activity I’ve done regularly in the past two years has been walking up Science Hill for class. I’ve even managed to avoid that by taking the Yale shuttle (or, more realistically, not waking up in time for lecture).
So when I suddenly transformed at the beginning of this semester from a slothful sophomore to an exercise addict, it raised more than a few eyebrows. My friends would eye me with suspicion when I arrived to dinner looking thoroughly flushed.
The key to my metamorphosis lay in Berkeley College’s multi-purpose room: there I discovered Yogis at Yale.
Four days a week, Yogis at Yale offers a yoga class or two to the general Yale population. From the most experienced practitioner to the total newbie, I see all kinds of people in my classes. Best of all (and most importantly), it’s completely free!
While some readers may be surprised to hear that Yale provides free yoga classes to its undergrads, the greater surprise is that all of the courses are lead by students. In fact, all of YAY’s instructors are actually undergraduate students who are certified to teach yoga. Like many of the best things at Yale, the strength of the program rests in the abilities of the student body.
.
Even though I have the option to attend any of the numerous yoga studios in the surrounding area, as well as classes taught at Payne Whitney Gym, there is something special in knowing that my super-flexible yoga instructor is also a classmate in my English seminar, or in my Poli Sci lecture. The feeling that comes with this knowledge motivates me so much more than any other class could.
Becoming a certified yoga instructor is impressive enough, but being qualified at 19 or 20 is an achievement in itself. For most Yalies, simply being around their fellow classmates is inspiring, but the feeling is difficult to quantify. It’s hard to say just how your roommate or teammate changes your thoughts or actions. However, I can clearly express how a sophomore teaching my yoga class affects me: I go every day!