"Texas State?" a friend asked one day in a conversation about college. "Isn't that the school with all the hills?"
For anyone who's talked to me about Texas State has heard me complain extensively about all the hills I've had to walk up and down. It's my favorite (and pretty much only) complaint right now. But despite how much I despise them, I've learned a lot of lessonsabout how to navigate them. Here are five of those lessons.
1) First, there are a LOT of hills at Texas State.
They don't call it the Hill Country for nothing.
When I first visited Texas State (a tour mostly taken by car after a failed attempt at taking the "self-guided" tour), I noticed how hilly the campus was, mostly because of how the car was dipping up and down like a roller coaster. Of course, this wasn't so bad to me, partially because I didn't actually think I would be going to Texas State (oops) and partially because I didn't have to walk, so it didn't seem THAT bad. Right?
Fast forward to late August. It's hot, I'm sweaty, and I'm carrying an exorbitantly heavy backpack around campus. Suddenly, the hills seem like a big deal. Especially the ones right in front of Alkek and Lampasas, where I spend my downtime in between classes. I don't want to climb up those massive hills all the time, but I also don't want to sit outside, where it's just as hot and bugs will call all over me. It's a no-win situation.
2) Ramps are NOT easier to climb.
I found this out within the first few weeks. I used to eagerly rush (and by rush, I mean slooooowly make my way over and leaving a trail of sweat and tears in my wake) to the ramps, convinced that walking up a smooth ramp would be easier to use than bouncing up and down the stairs with my backpack.
But I quickly found out that this was not the case. While the walk up was indeed smoother, it wasn't easier. While the stairs at least provide a flat surface to walk on in between the incline, the ramp provides no such break. I actually found it harder to walk up the ramps because they're constantly going up. It's like how walking on an inclined treadmill is infinitely harder than walking on a flat one. My poor calves.
3) Backpacks only make it worse.
I've mentioned this earlier, but I carry around a really heavy backpack during the day. Since I'm a commuter student, I don't have a dorm room in which I can keep my things, and I don't really want to leave $300 worth of electronics and $400 worth of textbooks and school supplies lying around in any random corner of the library.
As a result, I carry my backpack everywhere. And since I carry too much crap in there to begin with, my back usually hurts by the end of the day. Another fun perk is that it seems to trap more heat on my body, so I sweat even more than usual, leaving me completely sticky at the end of the day. Yay.
I've recently been informed that you can check out a locker in LBJ, which sounds glorious. But first, I'd have to make it there without suffering from heatstroke.
4) The hotter it is, the harder it gets.
Never mind that it's still irrationally hot for late October. I'll take anything over the oppressive August heat, which had me drenched in sweat by 9 am most mornings earlier this semester.
I used to like the heat-or, at least, I was resigned to it and grew to enjoy it. But now that I not only have to walk to work but also walk around campus, I just want it to be cold again, or at least rainy. Any decrease in temperature is welcome to me, even if it means that I have to wear a parka or get my shoes soaked. After all, that's what rainboots are for, right?
5) It gets easier.
On the first day of school, I wanted to fall over and die the first time I went up the Alkek stairs. Literally. I had to stop for a few seconds and almost keeled over.
But now it's not so bad. While I'm usually short of breath once I'm up the stairs, I'm less tired and less sweaty. And I've found myself with more stamina-it's getting less and less difficult. I haven't seen an increase in calf muscles yet, but I do feel a little more fit, if only just a little bit.
If anything, it's helping me keep off the dreaded Freshman 15, despite my dreadful eating habits. And I guess that's payoff in itself.
