Written by Emerson Lam
Growing up, I never put much effort in doing sports. While I enjoyed casual games of table tennis, badminton, and baseball, I never committed to excelling at any of them. However, that all changed when my friends convinced me to join my high school’s Varsity Track and Field team. Being part of that championship-winning team made me feel like part of a community, finally motivating me to condition myself and improve my health. For the first time in forever, my interest in doing sports grew beyond table tennis and badminton, as I started to try out events such as track and shot put.
However, this new-found passion vanished when I moved to London for university. My built-in support system was gone, and I didn’t feel motivated to try out for new teams. The dull, drab and often rainy weather was annoying to run in. Worst of all, I was held back by my own doubts; how would I find fellow badminton or table tennis players in such a diverse environment that’s so different from home?
Quickly, I was proven wrong.
My journey back to fitness started in the most obvious place: the common room of my student accommodation. With its default setup, the table tennis table was used more for beer pong than actual games, but it also served as a way for me to get my exercise in. Most table tennis matches were casual, relaxing games after dinner, but when competitive moods struck, we would host a mini tournament, round-robin style. More often than not, these games would help me both burn some calories and improve my table tennis skills by facing others.
Then, I rediscovered running. Coming from Hong Kong, I was very much used to the blazing hot sun beating down on me every time I went out for even a slight jog, resulting in me coming back home drenched in sweat. However, in the UK, it was very different. Although sometimes drizzling, the weather was mostly perfect for regular intervals of running. With the incredible bonus of having the amazing Regents Canal a mere five-minute walk away from my residence at Rosebery Hall, I was able to run 5Ks on a regular basis, though not at an ideal speed. The breeze and generally relaxing environment made for a stark contrast with the hustle and bustle of the center of London, rendering these runs a perfect escape from the regular student life.
As I slowly grew out of my comfort zone and started to meet other like-minded, athletic friends, I even began to try working out. Whether at the LSE gym in between classes, or at a Gym Group before I went to bed, I started finding working out to be a nice addition to my weekly routines. It certainly wasn’t easy to start from scratch, as I had to find the right workouts that suited me, but I was lucky enough to see some levels of progress eventually.
Maybe you’re reading this article not knowing which direction to take in terms of continuing your pre-existing exercise patterns. My advice to all incoming freshers who wish to stay active is this: go for it! London is a city of endless variety, where you can easily continue old hobbies or discover new ones. If you seek out a team or a place to play, you will almost certainly find it.
University is a time for reinvention. If you wish to excel at a sport, just practice – you will undoubtedly find your way.
