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While I can call myself a busy college student, I’ve never met a Gaucho who isn’t busy. Whether it’s work, club commitments, upcoming tests, or just trying to keep up and pass your classes, we are all on a pretty tight schedule. It can be hard to make your health a priority when you feel as though you are always running on empty, and this is especially true with finals season approaching.
Just among classmates I’ve talked to, I have found that motivation to bike to the Rec Cen can be pretty low and people can start to fall behind on a typical workout schedule. But, what if when you trekked home from the library, you didn’t have to venture out into the real world of the gym again, and you could work out from the comfort of your own home? Yoga has been a perfect way for me to exercise both the body and mind on a busy student schedule!
Easy to Implement
Having done yoga on and off since I was a kid, I can say it has been easy for me to implement into my life no matter how tight my schedule is. Even 10 minutes of yoga is a great reset for me. The combination of deep breathing and focus on movement sort of puts my head back on my shoulders and makes the rest of the worries of college and life fade away. I’m definitely someone who gets intimidated at the gym, so this practice has been a great solution to braving the Rec Cen and its gym bros (although if you want to lift, Her Campus at UCSB has a great resource for this!). With yoga, you can do it anywhere! All you need is a place long enough to fit your mat. This past quarter, I have even yoga-ed—is that a verb? — in my dorm room between two lofted beds with no issues!
Low-Cost, Beginner-Friendly Alternative to Workout Classes
College is the first time many of us have lived on our own and have had to worry about keeping a budget. You may be unable to pay for the additional classes at the Rec Cen or a CorePower yoga membership. But as a student on a budget, at-home yoga has been super accessible to me. There are many instructors on Youtube to follow along with if you have never practiced before. I personally love Yoga with Adriene and her 30-day challenges. When I was trapped inside during quarantine, these challenges were a great way to give me something to look forward to every day. Throughout her videos, she always gives alternative poses to people of different practice levels.
The nice thing about practicing by yourself is that you can always adjust depending on how proficient or flexible you are. Having practiced on-and-off since I was a kid, I have definitely gone through phases where I have been in better shape and been able to do a more difficult practice, or times where I needed to move with a little more intention. However, if you already know the poses, you can have fun and make up your own practice routine! I love doing this when I have a particular area I feel needs more of a stretch, like when I’ve been sitting with the posture of a shrimp in a cubicle at the library all day and my lower back is dying.
Emphasis on Being in the Moment
I am definitely a girl that is always thinking of what’s coming next and often has her head in the clouds. As a college student, it’s so easy to think of the next assignment that’s due, when you have to meet your friends at the library, and generally just not be in the present. For me, it’s really important to carve out time and remind myself to remain grounded. This is when practicing yoga has come into play for me. I took a yoga class my sophomore year of high school, and my teacher recommended this breathing technique called “Ujjayi,” although it is often referred to as “ocean’s breath.” When I am feeling particularly stuck in my head, I recall this practice and try to implement it.
Most yoga practices emphasize moving with intention. For example, on one breath, you will inhale and rise up, and the next, you will exhale and release. Following along with your breathing as you are exercising really makes you focus and tune-in with your body, leaving no time for other thoughts. Because of this, the time of day when I unroll my mat is a form of meditation for me. The Yogain Institute says yoga meditation “is not about thinking, but instead, it is a deep state of unity with the object of contemplation.” After a long day of studying, this is a perfect way for me to take my mind off of whatever is coming up next on my schedule.
Gauchos, with the end of the quarter approaching, try to take time for self care, and perhaps practice some yoga while you’re at it! I know it can be difficult to stay dedicated to your health when you have so much to do, but maybe next time, take a quick break, grab your mat, and do some yoga!