The French secret 

“Joining a Scottish Softball Team Cured My American Loneliness,” Ken Ilgunas’s recent piece in the “New York Times” boldly declares. As an American who recently spent time across the pond—I just completed my master’s in public health data science at the University of Bordeaux in France—Ilgunas’s piece resonated with me. I had gone to France searching for solutions to some of the major American public health problems. Among these are physical inactivity and loneliness; Ilgunas cites the surgeon general, who stated that Americans spend an average of 20 fewer hours a month with their friends than two decades ago. One solution I found in France surprised me: my university’s widely available extracurricular activities.  

The University of Bordeaux enlists expert teachers to lead activities for students and staff, allowing beginners and experienced learners alike to participate. Despite having no prior experience with contemporary dance, on Thursday nights I attended a class led by a professional choreographer, learning the basics of spacing and tempo; on January weekends I hit the slopes of the Alps, honing my ski-turn technique. My biostatistics professor took his lunch breaks at the rock climbing wall. The long drives to the mountain and the act of bodies exerting and learning together brought me and my fellow participants together in a way that can sometimes be hard to find outside of sports.  

In his piece, Ilgunas hails recreational sports as crucial to his well-being. I found that French universities took a similar approach. In the fall, I received a university newsletter encouraging students and staff to incorporate dance, singing, music, and sports into their wellness routines. This perspective is supported by the literature, with a 2024 meta-analysis of 218 studies by Noetel et al. finding that dance, jogging, yoga, and other activities were associated with a reduction in depression when compared to a control group. Ilgunas notes that countries such as Iceland have heavy investment in recreational sports and have near universal participation for children. Similarly, I found that French universities positioned extracurriculars not just as frivolous additions to work and studies but as a pillar of a healthy lifestyle.  

In U.S. universities, extracurricular activities often focus on the result. Expert coaching is reserved for high-level, competitive athletes; arts groups maintain rigorous audition processes; clubs are limited to committed students and exclude staff. American adults, without the specific goal of a college scholarship or a state championship, widely stop playing sports. However, with the French approach, the process is more important than the product.  

As healthcare professionals, recommending recreational sports to patients, rather than providing non-specific exercise guidelines, may be an excellent option for some. Many American patients could benefit from an activity that provides exercise, community, and social interaction all in one. In this regard, perhaps we can learn un peu from the French.  

This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.