What's a Recreation Class?

Going to college is the same everywhere. You go to class, take notes, hang out with friends, and prepare for the big exams. If that holds true, then why do international students still feel different when they do the exact same things that other college students in their home country are doing?

UCSB has taught me that every campus is unique, and the four years of college is not enough for me to explore it all. The biggest difference I found between UCSB and universities in Vietnam is that the variety of campus resources we can use that is exclusive to us but not anywhere else. No universities in Vietnam offer recreation classes because the educators there do not think sports are important enough to focus on, and the fact that many students do not come to classes make them care less about their life outside of the classroom. I was used to the strict and conservative education system in Vietnam so much that when I first came to UCSB, I did not know anything about sports classes because of my assumptions of the non-existence of sports classes, and my carelessness of everything else besides schooling. The Vietnamese education system has shaped my thinking and goals at school so much that UCSB helped me step into a new world of learning and taking care of myself as a college student.

The first sports class I took at UCSB was an aerobic and fitness class for beginners. I found out about this class through a friend, and I was so surprised at the beginning that there are actual sports classes that you can get credits from, and they have classes for all levels from basic to advanced. I went to the first class feeling a little scared and uncertain because it was a brand new idea and concept for me, and I was worried that my skills and muscles could not catch up with the workout. However, things turned out to be much better than I expected. The class level fit me perfectly, the teacher was supporting, and most people there were beginners, just like myself, which made me feel much more comfortable and welcoming. Throughout the course, I learned how to take care of each part of my muscles, how to stretch correctly before and after work out, and how to adjust my diet to gain the most out of the class. These were the things I would never expect to learn when going to college, or never to be taught at college.

This sport class is just one of many other amazing things that UCSB and the US offer me as a college student. I feel supported, taken care of, and loved in a campus where the location is more like a beach resort and the resources offered are more than just for my academics but also for my physical and mental wellness.