Sweat Makes the Heart Grow Fonder; Sweat Makes the Person Stronger

If you’re not one who handles TMI (too much information) well, then I wouldn’t recommend finishing the remainder of this blog. Growing up, I had noticed even in elementary school that I always had a few more beads of sweat on my brow at the end of ballet class than my fellow dancers.  I didn’t think much of it at the time, but as time went on, others noticed my bit of a “sweat problem” and I became more self conscious. I also began to notice how much my dad would sweat when he was cutting the lawn, going on a jog, or grilling. There was a specific instance when we were leaving the gym and I was disgusted at the sight of my dad’s t-shirt. There wasn’t one thread of cotton that wasn’t soaked in sweat. I started to make some connections and decided maybe this whole sweat thing was genetic. Once in high school, I came to accept that I was a sweaty person, and I was comfortable with that. I learned to own my sweat, and the girls in my dance class learned to accept it as well. Then came college, and with that came working out in public at the Rec Center, walking to class on a hot and humid campus in the early fall and late spring, helping with Orientation during barely bearable mid-August, dance parties in places without AC that would qualify for a fire code violation given the absurd amount of people in a small space, and giving tours to prospective students and their families throughout the hottest months (June-August).  All of this brought sweat to a whole new level.  If you thought the Rec was a good place to pick up guys (or girls), not for this girl. What about class? Not when you have sweat marks from your backpack straps. Okay, well then at least parties, right? Wrong. Apparently boys only like the wet hair look when you’re fresh from the shower, pool, or beach.  It took me a while to realize why I didn’t have a boyfriend, but now it’s crystal clear.

Over the years I have found ways to help manage my little problem. My remedy for the gym: sports bra tank tops versus plain sports bras and a sweat towel-I refuse to workout without one.  An all around cure: undershirts under everything and extra sets of t-shirts, just in case.  Another way to cope is to avoid standing close to others (body heat is not a joke), always taking the shady route, and wearing colors and fabrics that show the least amount of sweat possible.  Another tip: men’s deodorant. That ladies deodorant, yeah, it doesn’t do anything.

My college friends have come to accept me, sweat and all, just as my friends did in high school. Honestly, it’s become a running joke among us, and I embrace it. I know you’re saying to yourself “Who is this sweaty freak?”. I’ll be the first to admit that it is a little gross, but it’s a natural biological process of which I have no control.