It’s hard to work out as a college student. There seem to be no hours left in the day after you go to hours of difficult classes, labs, and attempt to do your seemingly endless amounts of work. It seems as if you don’t even have time to sleep let alone attempt to work out. Then one day you finally have enough time to spare an hour at the gym, but everything is packed. There’s nowhere to go! Fear not, for being fit is not quite as daunting as it seems to be. Here are three tips for working out as a busy student:
Tip One: Try to Work out in the morning
If you have ever stepped into the Rec Center in the late afternoon before dinner, you have experienced the insane rush where nothing seems to be available. You can avoid sharing a squat rack with three other people if you try to go during off times such as earlier in the morning (before noon) or even later at night after the early afternoon crowd has gone to dinner.
Tip Two: Try workout classes!
Ever not know what to do in the gym? Whether you’re new to working out in a gym or just simply do not want to create your own exercise plan, you should try the classes Hopkins offers. Spin, yoga, and Jump class are great options, but nothing beats the easy, breezy, beautiful F45 classes. These classes will leave you dry heaving for five minutes after the class ends while you pant breathlessly, “that was a good class”. F45, as the name suggestions, is a workout class that is only forty-five minutes long. Within those forty-five minutes, you will sweat like no other and definitely get your heart rate up. There are three different kinds: cardio-based, strength-based, and on the weekend a longer hour version that mixes both styles. You can’t go wrong with work out classes AND you don’t have to worry about making up a schedule for yourself.
Tip Three: Walk Everywhere!
I know the Blue Jay shuttle can be a convenience when the horrendous snow and cold hits, but in warmer times take advantage of the (fleeting) good weather and walk outside. Walking to class builds some naturally scheduled exercise in your schedule but think about walking everywhere you can from that nearby restaurant to your friend’s apartment that usually you’re too lazy to walk to.
It is never too late to create a workout routine. It can be a great way to be social, feel better about yourself, try something new, and even relieve some stress!