A sporty campus

Stanford is sports. The university that has consecutively won the Director’s cup for the past 20 of years did that for a reason – though the academics are excellent and of a very high level, the sports and sports facilities on the Farm are just as magnificent. It is part of the Stanford culture. At any given time of day there are tons of bikes parked outside of the gym; there is a yoga class balancing on one leg on the lawn or there is a boot camp class being taught at the middle of the tracks, while sprinters and runners get in their regular training for the day. Big chance there are people playing frisbee on the lawn outside of your dorm, or are just heading out for a run when you get home. I always loved doing sports and the opportunities here at Stanford to try out and practice whatever you would like, be it wall climbing, swimming, golf, horseback riding, soccer, football or kickboxing, are amazing and abundant. Sports is not just something the students to in order to get and stay fit. It is something they choose to do, because they enjoy it. The atmosphere in the gyms is not one of showing off – it is one of helping each other, running into someone you’ve once met at a course and catching up. Sports facilities are the places where working out and achieving goals is important, but where it’s not only about the achievements: you should enjoy what you are doing. Sports are considered an important part of well-being. But even more, sports are an important part of becoming the balanced person that Stanford wants you to become – whether you are a freshmen, senior, PhD student, or just visiting for one summer. For more information on recreation activities on campus visit:  http://cardinalrec.stanford.edu/