It's that time again, but just because I love saying it, "It's the Olympics!" It's the time where the whole world watches as elite athletes compete for a special necklace in sports, so specialized that we don't even understand what's going on sometimes. And we love it! Nothing like the Olympics gets us jumping up and down for Team USA and yet, also feeling more aware of the accomplishments of other nations. It arouses a spirit of valor, hard work and competition that no other events can muster.
But how can we celebrate this joyous, three-week long event? Do not fear, I have 10 ways to celebrate the Olympics this year!
1. Visit An Olympic Training Center
This sounds far away and complicated, but hear me out. There are 17 Olympic training sites and three Training Centers around the U.S., making many people in the nation able to road-trip to see the hard work that must occur before the excitement we see on TV. The gymnastics location is as close as Huntsville, outside of Houston. I had the chance to go the Colorado Springs Training Center this summer, and it inspired me, awed me and excited me for all things Olympics!
2. Get To Know The Athletes
The coolest thing about the Olympics is not the sport itself, but the athletes competing. It is their stories, challenges and successes that make us jump up off the coach when they win that gold medal. Did you know, though, that you can get to know the athletes even more through NBC's featured athletes tab? Here you can see a variety of athletes and a bit about their lives, recent news about their Rio adventure, their Olympic schedule and how to follow them on social media.
3. Keep Up With Olympic News
There is so much going on during the Olympics that it can be hard to keep up with it all. That's where the Team USA app and the NBC Olympics app come in handy. They keep you updates on the go and give you notifications about the events that you love.
4. Tweet About The Olympics
Join the global phenomenon and Tweet about (or to) the Olympics. Don't forget to check out the official USA Olympic page @TeamUSA and the Olympic page @Olympics.
5. Buy Olympic Gear
You may not actually be in Rio competing at the top of the athletic world, but you can at least look like it! The Team USA Shop contains enough gear to get your blood running red, white and blue. From shirts to coffee cups to dog collars, they have everything that you need to deck out in patriotic gear.
With these five ways to celebrate the Rio Olympics, you are well on your way to making the most of these exciting next several days! Stay tuned for part two on how to make the most of the Olympics next week. Now, I'm off to watch some Olympics.
