At the start of my freshman year, I signed up for Spin 45 on a whim. It was advertised as a fun indoor cycling class taught by a fellow Jefferson student. It was my first week on campus and I was trying to find ways to get involved and meet new people. I showed up on that Friday morning excited but nervous – I had never gone to a group exercise class before. It was incredibly hard and different from anything I’ve ever done, but it was a lot of fun. I decided to keep coming back every week, and I made a friend from the class. We would always walk back to the freshman side together and talk about how the class was.
During the second semester of my freshman year, our instructor started another class on Tuesday nights. We convinced a lot of our friends to go, and it was a great time. She would always play fun music and keep the choreography exciting. That semester I started to wonder if teaching would be something I’d consider doing.Â
I got more involved in spinning, constantly participating in events like Bike for a Cure and Cycle for Survival for cancer research. It was great to see a cross between fundraising and exercise for an important cause.Â
Around the time of last fall’s Bike for a Cure, I talked to my instructor about the steps to becoming certified, and she was so happy for me! It meant the world to me to have support for something that was out of my comfort zone. I loved how Spinning was a fun and different way to exercise, and I wanted to share that with others. I signed up and did the online training, and went for my in-person certification class in January. I went to UPenn’s fitness center, which was absolutely beautiful (I was very jealous). They had a room dedicated to Spin with new bikes and flashing lights. The instructor taught me a lot, not just about Spin but about teaching and mental fortitude too. That class changed my perspective on how I thought teaching a class worked, and it was inspiring listening to everyone’s stories on why they were there that day.Â
My instructor here let me substitute teach her classes one week after I got certified, and I was so nervous. I was worried that I would mess up and that people wouldn’t like it, but I got raving reviews. Now, I teach classes twice a week here and love it. I feel so grateful to be able to teach others something that I have such a passion for. It’s a good feeling to see the people who come back every class and request themes. I see my younger self in them. I never would’ve thought one decision I made three years ago would bring me here. I remember being so sick with nerves the morning of my certification. Now I get excited to teach every Tuesday and Thursday. This is proof that it is worth it to take that jump, no matter how scared you are; and that it’s never too late to find a new passion. I can confidently say I would be a different person without taking that opportunity years ago.