Prior to graduation, every Cornell student is required to take two credits (two courses) worth of Physical Education classes. While this may seem like an inconvenient requirement to some, the PE requirement is actually very easy to complete and can be a lot of fun!

In the spring semester of my freshman year, I took PE 1642: Women’s Basic Rock Climbing with my friend Emily. I had never rock climbed before, and was nervous that I didn’t have the skill or strength to climb the 40-foot walls at Lindseth Climbing Center. However, my worrying was for naught – this class ended up being one of the highlights of my semester!

The instructors were so knowledgeable, approachable, and exceedingly kind, and all of my peers were super friendly, making for a relaxed and supportive learning environment. The class was structured in such a way that you learned something new every time – like rock climbing terminology, or how to tie certain types of knots – but you also had “free time” every class, where you could try as many different top rope or bouldering routes as you wanted. You also have the opportunity to get top rope belay certified as part of the course, which I did, and the certification will last throughout your entire time at Cornell, so when you go to open hours at Lindseth, you just have to bring your belay certification tag and you’re good to go!

The coolest part of the class for me was the class session where we went repelling at Schoellkopf Field. We climbed the stairs all the way up to the back of the stadium, climbed out the little “windows” in the back, and with the help of our instructors at the top, lowered ourselves down on ropes! It was definitely nerve-wracking at first, but after doing it once, you totally get the hang of it – my friend and I actually repelled twice because we loved it so much!

For me, the beauty of this class was that you could move at your own pace. You didn’t have to do the hardest grade climb your second week in; rather, you could build up your confidence and progress on your own terms. I loved trying out different routes (I preferred top rope climbing to the bouldering wall… maybe that’s a hot take?) and felt such a sense of accomplishment when I finally made it to the top of one of the really tall top rope routes! Simply put, this class was just so much fun. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone to try something completely new and was such a nice break from schoolwork during my busy weeks.

If you’re looking for a unique and enjoyable PE class, I would definitely recommend rock climbing! 

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