<p>College is the last chance to reach people (public college) and I think we should make this attempt to promote a healthier lifestyle. </p>
<p>That doesn’t mean government mandated scary Obama muslim terrorist socialist work camps where you have to run 10 miles and pass scientific wellness tests. Just integrate a little health talk into the early classes. Maybe have some activities or basic healthsssments assessments.</p>
<p>That also doesn’t mean that you’ll be kicked out of school if your BMI is too high. Anyone that is a part of this at the school would know if you were a muscled athlete, or actually fat. Plus you wouldn’t get kicked out if school, I just think they’ll give you recommendations after your first visit and maybe check up on you later.</p>
<p>A simple health assessment is one thing I suppose, simply to give you tips on how to be healthier. I get the feeling some on here want forced PT… if I wanted that I would have joined the Army.</p>
<p>^Its only forced at first…then it becomes habit. In all seriousness I think people should be advised on their health, thats all. What they do with the advice is their choice. People here need to realize that the key word is “Assessing” and not “Enforcing”.</p>
<p>What motivates me is seeing pictures of myself, because then I think, “I really need to get down to business on this health thing.” Also, I’ve heard that if you do something for at least two weeks straight, the habit’s a lot more likely to stick.</p>
<p>Then why are non-major classes required at pretty much every college out there?</p>
<p>(Also, saying “College is about…” is a bit presumptuous since just about everyone out there has a different description of what college is about.)</p>
<p>Not if you’re an engineer. Columbia does the swim test because in a time of need, people need to learn to swim. The story goes that the engineers said that in a time of crisis, they would build a big boat to use to go across the Hudson River (the one that separates Manhattan from New Jersey).</p>
<p>College is about getting a degree and finding a job. Anything else you get along the way is just a bonus (friends, love, “finding yourself” or some shiz)</p>
<p>While the intention may seem good, it could be used for insidious purposes such as providing the information to health insurance companies and prospective employers. An employer may decide against a candidate based on their BMI since it would cost the company if the employee needed medical treatment or more time off for health conditions.</p>
<p>At first, the notion of a mandatory fitness test bothered me, but to be honest, I can’t really see a problem with it. Obesity is a huge problem in America today, and sometimes people need a wakeup call. As an athlete, I also think that BMI isn’t the most accurate representation (my legs are solid muscle, so I’m a lot heavier than I look), but I think that as long as it isn’t done in a humiliating way, there isn’t anything necessarily wrong with it.</p>