Lace-up your sneakers and grab a water bottle because it’s time to get active. As Centenary’s Spring 2022 semester nears halfway, stress and burnout quickly increase to overwhelming levels. When you’re going straight from class to working on homework long into the night, it can be challenging to maximize the hours in your day and make time to unwind. Extracurriculars can help with these overwhelming thoughts, but sometimes extracurricular activities with ongoing projects and meetings can feel like another class. Athletes have the opportunity to let off some steam by going to practice and exercising almost every day, but what can students who aren’t athletes do?

Exercise can be one of the most effective methods for boosting your mood and releasing stress, but how can you get your recommended sixty minutes of exercise if you can’t even make time to get an appropriate amount of sleep? Though it will take some rearranging and careful planning, students who do not belong to a sports team at Centenary can soak up some sunshine and get their steps in for the day at The Fit without sacrificing precious work time. 

Crawl out of bed or peel yourself away from your desk and grab a few friends to head over to Centenary’s Fitness Center. All students have access to The Fit, and everyone should try using every resource provided by the college during their enrollment. Though it can be intimidating to surround yourself with athletes running six-minute miles and lifting weights seemingly twice their size, there are ways to make it fun. Ensure to abide by the Covid-19 protocols and make sure you won’t be interrupting any teams practicing during your preferred time frame. Being a successful college student is all about organization and planning, so think of going to the fit as a part of your schedule. Do not feel discouraged if you do not go every day or even more than once a week. It takes time to adapt to new routines. Pick a time that works the best around your schedule, so you do not have to go early in the morning as soon as you wake up. It’s the effort that matters the most. 

You can use one of the many treadmills or bikes to start your exercise easily and simply. To kill two birds with one stone, put on a podcast, listen to a lecture you missed, or catch up with a friend you’ve been meaning to call. Exercising doesn’t have to be and shouldn’t be something you dread doing, so do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you’re with your friends, go to the dance room and roll out a few yoga mats to do group yoga, Zoomba, or a workout routine that one of you found on YouTube. If you’d like to make your attendance regular, make up a challenge and see how many days in a row you can go to The Fit. Make an agreement that every time your group goes to The Fit, everyone goes to the Caf afterward. 

If you find that going to The Fit adds to stress rather than eases it, try setting aside thirty minutes to go for a walk around campus. Centenary is a beautiful campus full of well-kept trees, flower beds, and shrubbery that students forget to appreciate while they’re running to class. Mental health is an important issue for everyone, but especially for students who have an endless to-do list on top of trying to figure out who they are. Incorporating exercise into your life is very important, and you won’t regret taking the time to take care of your mind and body. Remember to be kind to yourself because as long as you’re still trying, you haven’t failed yet.   

Reece Maguire

I am a sophomore English major and the Section Head of the Life and Times. I will be graduating in the class of 2024, where I will then pursue a career as a fiction author. A fun fact about me is that I love going thrifting and baking desserts.

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