I’m a freshman in college this year, and I wanted to branch out and try new things when I got here. I wanted to try a different fitness class, because even though I do work out regularly on the elliptical, I wanted a change.

I saw Zumba being advertised on my campus, and my roommate and I decided to go and check it out! I ended up falling in love with it, and I now attend classes three times a week. Many college campuses offer Zumba classes that are included into your activities fees. Here’s why you should check out Zumba classes if your campus offers them:

1. Great cardio: The Freshman 15 is real. To help defeat it, you need to burn calories when you work out. In a typical Zumba class, you can burn up to 650 calories in one hour! The best part is that you don’t even feel like you’re exercising, it's so fast paced and so much fun that you really feel like you’re just dancing around with friends.

2. Toning. While Zumba is a great cardio workout; it also helps you tone all the muscles in our body. You don’t even realize it, but at the end of the class you’ve done close to 100 squats! You also do certain dances just based on arm toning. It’s an all-around great workout for your whole body.

3. It helps boost your confidence. Zumba is a great confidence booster because nobody pays attention to you and you just dance with the music. If at first you’re having trouble picking up the moves, my Zumba instructor likes to say, “Shake it til you make it!”

4. It’s not just exercise; it’s socialization too! I’ve met a lot of people who go to class the same nights that I do or who I recognize from around campus. It’s a great way to get out and meet new people who have the same goals as you do, whether it’s to get in shape or just have fun!

5.Therapeutic. Let’s face it, college life can be stressful. Zumba is a great way to relieve stress all while having fun and getting in a great work out. There are days that I didn’t want to go because I had such a hard day and I was tired, but I went and danced away all the stress. I felt so much better afterward!

No matter what your fitness goals are, Zumba is a great way to change up your daily workout and to get a well-rounded workout in an hour! You have the opportunity to meet a lot of new people while burning calories and dancing away the stress. Everyone should check out a Zumba class on campus at least once!