Health Goddess! Shhh! She Doesn't Inhale

Penn students are finding it harder and harder these days to find the time to work out and stay healthy. Between studying for midterms and almost being MERTed, students are having trouble balancing self-care and the myriad detrimental activities they take part in. 

Aida Kurnev (C ’21), however, has a trick up her sleeve. “Shhhhh. Let me show you my secret,” Kurnev whispered to us as she trapped cigarette smoke in her mouth and gently exhaled the lengthy drag. “See,” she said. “I don’t inhale.” 

Standing outside of Pottruck, Kurnev, a contributor to Penn’s Student Health and Wellness Initiative, shared with UTB: “People judge smokers all the time. Especially the kids at Pottruck — that’s why I like to SABS out here. It's such a refreshing contrast.” 

She added, “Since I don’t inhale, the more times I take a smoke break or short walk around the block, the more fit I’m getting,” she assured us as she captured the fumes of the cigarette in her mouth once again. "Meanwhile, they're breaking a sweat and looking lame." 

While exhaling, Kurnev added, “It’s 2019…I’m trying to be a fit bitch,” she took a pause, “No — a health goddess.”