Yes, Winter Break is finally here. I figured that one out when half of the school’s collective exhalation damn near blew me to the ground yesterday in the second floor hallway.

So you’ll have a couple weeks free from that torturous 15 pound backpack of yours and the slew of tedious work it contains, and no doubt that prospect excites you (to the point that you’re about to pee in your pants). But what are you going to do with all of that downtime? Please don’t tell me you’re going to spend upwards of 100 hours beating Super Smash Brothers with every character again, like you did last Winter Break. Let go of the video game joystick, tear your eyes away from the boob tube, and drop that stick of butter you were planning to munch on. Instead, spend the vacation resting your mind, while giving your body the work it has been deprived of.

We are fortunate enough to live in one of the most beautiful cities our planet has to offer. The Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Ocean Beach, the Cliff House — you don’t have to be a short-shorts wearing, disposable camera-toting tourist to enjoy these landmarks, we native San Franciscans can enjoy them too. I don’t know about you, but for the past seventeen years I’ve pretty much neglected most of the beauty our city has to offer. This Winter Break, I’m going to make a concerted effort to get off my increasingly corpulent rear end, appreciate what our city has to offer, and get a terrific workout while doing so.

#1: Ocean Beach/Great Highway

First on my list of things to do is a bike ride along the Great Highway. Sure, bike rides are for balding men in spandex you say, but how many people get sweeping views of Ocean Beach along the way? If you live in the Sunset district, and come on, if you’re reading The Lowell there is actually a 120 percent chance that you do, you have no excuse to miss out on this opportunity. The Great Highway offers a very mild incline, and isn’t likely to tire you out too quickly. Riders have beaten out a smooth, safe bike path for you to enjoy, and there is a paved path directly next to it if you’d prefer to travel on foot.

Evening rides are particularly relaxing; the crisp ocean breeze cools your skin, and your fellow riders pass in the opposite direction waving and smiling congenially. A few times, I’ve been fortunate enough to catch one of those sunsets that look like someone just splashed blazing paints across the empty canvas that is the sky, making it appear that the scorched clouds are dancing with fire. You can continue on your ride for as long as you wish, to Sutro Baths, the Cliff House, through Sea Cliff, and on into the gorgeous Presidio. Or, you can pedal for a few blocks before you decide that you’re exhausted, and head back home. If biking isn’t your thing, you can walk, jog, or ride your skateboard along the same path. No matter what method you choose, you’ll have given your body some much-needed love, and your mind an even more crucial rest.

#2; The Marina Green

Next on my checklist is a visit to the city’s outdoor gym, the Marina Green. In case you’re completely unfamiliar with it, as I was about a month ago, here’s the low-down. Located near Chrissy Field in the Marina District, the Marina Green sits nestled at the edge of the bay. It is a large, open grass area, with free weights, chin-up bars, and other structures you can use for your workout. If you ever find a gym in a prettier location, please let me know. You could find a spot to do some of that trendy yoga you learned last summer, try to out-bench press that really intense looking guy who just might be on steroids, or toss a Frisbee around with a few friends. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll have an incredible view of our finest landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge. From the Marina, the bridge appears to thrust itself out of the distance like a colossal steel predator, soar just past your head and plunge itself into the San Francisco coastline. I’ve only been to the Marina Green once, but I found that it is no doubt worth countless more visits.

#3: Coit Tower

Next up, Coit Tower. Hop on any train going downtown, and get off at Embarcadero. Walk out a block to the Ferry Building, and get on the F Market heading towards Fisherman’s Wharf. The F is ancient and rickety for sure, but it’s a historic ride you’re obligated to take as a San Franciscan. Go ahead and get off when you see the big “Hooters” sign, that’s where I generally like to make my exit. From there, you’ll be able to see Coit Tower, so get to it and start walking. It’s a nice little hike up to the tower, and once there, make sure you walk up to the top. Once inside the tower, you get to ascend a somewhat treacherous stone spiral staircase to reach the top. On the way up, you’ll find yourself transfixed by the striking murals covering the walls as far as the eye can see. Touch all ### steps on your way up; run, jog, or walk up as many times as you wish. The tower beats your creaky old Stairmaster in the excitement department any day. The paintings, and incredible view from the top of Coit Tower, will not disappoint. If this workout isn’t intense enough for you, Lombard Street lies nearby. Try your luck climbing up one of the steepest hills in the city. At the top of Lombard Street, you’ll find another sweeping view of the city’s landscape.

#4: The Golden Gate Bridge

Sure, it’s cliché. The first thing anyone thinks of when they hear “San Francisco” is “the Golden Gate Bridge!” Though the concept may not seem particularly innovative, as a native San Franciscan you really are obligated to cross the bridge on foot. It’s less than a mile long, so you should be able to run it (if you sustain a heart attack while doing so, my bad). The 28 bus line will take you all the way to the bridge, where you can begin your workout. I’m sure you’ve noticed the army of joggers as you drive over the bridge in your plush SUV; it’s time to step into those excessively small running shorts and join the troops. You can run it as many times as you wish for your desired workout, but at least try it once, it’s your duty as a city dweller.

#5: Land’s End

Who says you can’t go hiking in the city? Some day, you may move to some remote, vapid town hidden in Middle America. There, you will find that the landscape is depressingly flat. That’s right, no hills. So while you’re still in the city, take advantage of some of our hiking trails. Since you’ve already been to Coit Tower by this point in the article, you know how to get to Fisherman’s Wharf. If you walk along the Wharf, away from the Ferry Building, you’ll run into Land’s End. The area is a former military base that served as our protection in WWII; now, it is home of some of the city’s finest hiking trails. There are two main trails, the Coastal Trail and the Railroad Bed Loop. The latter may be more suitable for the casual hiker. It begins in the Legion of Honor’s parking lot, and is a relatively relaxing one-mile hike. The Coastal Trail, on the other hand, winds from the Golden Gate Bridge to beyond the Cliff House, offering more spectacular views of Alcatraz, the Bridge and Angel Island. This hike is longer, and much more likely to give you a decent cardio workout.

Obviously your options aren’t limited to what I’ve just suggested, but maybe you can use these ideas as a jumping off point for your winter workout plan. Our city is too gorgeous, and your physical health is too important to spend this break loafing around the house. At Lowell, we do a tremendous job keeping our minds remarkably sharp. While you might argue with this around finals time, I also think we do a pretty good job of keeping our mental and emotional health in a solid state. It is all too easy to neglect our physical health; we all do it at some time or another. Here are some reasons to tap into that willpower of yours and give your body some exercise this break.

Endorphins. Remember those guys, from your AP Psych class? In case you’re one of the three kids at Lowell who hasn’t taken AP Psychology yet, here’s the deal. Whenever you exert yourself physically, your body will start to release endorphins, the coolest chemical messengers ever. They numb pain, cause you to laugh, and in general just make you feel really good. So next time that shady guy on Haight offers you crack, you can be really cool, say “no” and sprint around for an hour and get high as a kite. All aspects of your personal health are intertwined; if you’re physically healthy, you’ll be able to deal with stress (not that our school is stressful or anything right?), have a stronger immune system, and be 50% more likely to reach Grand Master level in Dungeons and Dragons.

You’ll look good. Ok, I know that sounds completely shallow, but who are we kidding here, do you really not want to look good? I’m not saying gaze at yourself in the mirror for hours every day, stroking your freshly oiled body murmuring “You’re a sex machine, you hot beast you,” but we could all get into a little better shape, right? Shedding a little bit of fat or gaining some muscle can do wonders for your psyche. A baseball coach of mine once said, “You look good, you feel good, you play good.” Disturbing grammatical errors aside, he had a great point. If you feel even a little bit more confident in yourself, you’ll feel it, and you’ll wind up enjoying yourself a lot more.

Personally, my belly is starting to remind me of a massive albino slug, with hair. I can’t wait to have the time to get out this Winter Break and turn it into a slightly smaller albino slug, with hair. At the very least, I know I’ll get to appreciate our city a little bit more, and I’ll give my overall health a much needed boost. If any of my proposed ideas piqued your interest, feel free to send me a reg note (Gaston Guibert, 0706) and we can enjoy an only-in-San Francisco casual workout this break. For everyone else, do yourself a favor and get off that couch in those two weeks, you’ll be glad you did.