Fridays Top Five: The Shepherds College Fitness Plan

I don’t know about you, but at my house it gets pretty crazy this time of year.  There is so much to do to get ready for college!  You need to make sure all your family and friends are following you on Facebook, you need to update your cell phone with new phone numbers, you need to make sure your desk lamp matches the cute bedding you just bought, and you definitely have to get highlights to compliment that golden tan you’ve been working on all summer.

I’m only half kidding. I just gave you my daughter’s to-do list.  My son actually received a lengthy training book from his football coach. By routinely following the carefully designed plan over the summer, he’ll be able to maintain a certain fitness level required by the team.  He won’t get out of shape while he’s away from school.

Shepherds College students received a “training book” too. Each student was emailed a packet that will help them make the transition from home to college.  For new students, this packet will help them “get in shape” for their life on campus. For returning students, this packet will help them “stay in shape,” without forgetting all they’ve learned the previous year.

The transition packet contained five key documents for the students to work on, so I’m going to highlight them today for my Friday’s Top Five:

1.                   A Chore Chart.  Parents thank us profusely for including it.  This chart assigned chores such as personal hygiene, making the bed, cleaning the microwave, washing the laundry - every day of the week! Even on Sundays! Gotta love it.

Ray cleaning the windows

2.                   S.M.A.R.T. Goals. These are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound. Students have to choose either volunteering, reading a book, planning and doing a regular family activity, or Bible reading. Of course, since this is college-related, the student has to write a paper on their goal and complete a goal journal.

Brian helping with yard work as a service project

3.                   A Letter.  Students, how’s your summer so far? Tell us all about it in a letter and send it to Mrs. Konopasek. She’s looking forward to hearing about all the fun you’re having without her.

Do you think Kyle is writing Mrs. K a letter?

4.                   Recipes.  This one is my favorite! The students have to make dinner for their families. They each received five recipes - Barbecups, Crock Pot Chili, Pita Pizza, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and Pasta with Spaghetti Sauce – and must cook three of them, on their own, over the summer. 

Katy in Intro to Culinary Arts

5.                   A FIT Challenge Tracking Sheet.  You know what this means, don’t you?  Exercise. Just what everyone wants to do when it’s 95° outside.  The students have to walk, run or bike and then record their time on the tracking sheet.  To encourage the students to actually torture themselves in this way, the college has decided to turn this exercise into a competition between the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd year students.  The class that accumulates the most amount of time exercising wins an ice cream party!  Then after eating all that yummy ice cream, we’re going to make the students exercise some more to burn off those hefty calories.

Daniela, Kelsie, Linday and Mrs. Vauters Movin' To The Groove

And there you have it – The Shepherds College Fitness Plan, the perfect way to get in shape for school.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.