By Jamie Banks

Picture this: the sun is blazing, it’s 90+ degrees, you’re floating back and forth between the deep and shallow ends with a cocktail in your hand and you havenÍt a worry in the world. Why? Classes are over and summer jobs tend to be less demanding. Well, wake up! Summer is over, and the fall semester is back again. It’s a busy time for us college go-ers and the books are not all we need to hit.

If you’re one of those people who have been slacking in the weight-training department, you should seriously consider going to the gym. Here’s why: it makes for a good date. At this point in our lives, if we’re not in a relationship already, the gym is a great way find perspectives of the opposite (or same) sex. Usually, people found in a fitness facility are athletic and outgoing, always trying to better themselves (at least physically). That, to me, is a turn-on. Furthermore, it’s a “way in.” If you have health and fitness in common with someone, a conversation is in the air. Ladies, ask a guy to spot you on an exercise. Your strength and bravery will surprise him.

Before you know it, he’ll be asking you if you’d like to workout together sometime. Working out is energizing! A decent workout is great for brainpower. It gets the blood pumping faster and increases your heart rate, ultimately making performance in studies and homework more efficient due to intra-body activity. Increased blood flow means the brain is getting more oxygen, keeping it healthier. There are also certain supplements available on the market that you can take (in conjunction with your workout) that claim to enhance brainpower, like ginkgo and ginseng. However, you naturally stimulate your mind just by working out alone. If interested in greater results, consult a representative at a vitamin store on those products.

Working out decreases your chances of getting sick! It has been proven that people who workout take fewer sick days and they work more efficiently on the job.

A few words of advice before hitting the gym: be sure to drink plenty of water. When you work out, your body perspires more, so you need to keep yourself hydrated. And don’t overdo it just to impress that hottie next to you. You can do permanent damage to your muscles by straining them at the gym. And be sure to stretch before you do any type of workout. If you don’t stretch properly, you will pay for it in soreness the next day.