Falling into unhealthy habits, especially in college, is something that happens all the time. Juggling difficult classes, a big school and a social life leaves little room for anything else. During this time it’s common for us to cut corners when it comes to things like regular exercise and healthy eating. Before you know it, it’s been weeks since you last hit the gym and all of your meals are either takeout or microwavable. This aside, your physical health also begins to suffer. You find yourself more slow and sluggish on your morning walk to class and maybe you’ve noticed you’ve gained a pound or two. Your body no longer runs on mom’s home-cooked meals, and instead is used to processed fatty foods. You might think that making poor dietary choices is no biggie, but before you know it, your immune system may crash, too. Something like a small dorm-room cold can knock you out for days, and your body becomes susceptible to almost anything. The scary part is that this becomes a cycle. Your physical health isn’t the only thing to suffer, as this may also lead your mental health to begin a slow downward spiral.
Stress and anxiety can become major components of your life during, and not feeling in the best physical condition can definitely weigh heavily on your conscience as well. All these small factors become interconnected, and something that you use to be able to handle, like a quiz, can suddenly set you off, leaving you feeling serious amounts of stress and anxiety. Speaking from experience, I now know that while finding yourself in this cycle can be scary, it’s definitely something every collegiette can work her way out of — literally.
A year or two ago, I would have identified myself as someone stuck in this unhealthy pattern. That is, until I started working out. I first started doing yoga because I got dragged into going to a class with my roommate. In the beginning, I didn’t think much of it, but I gradually fell into a regular routine, going almost every chance I had. Before I knew it, yoga lead to something bigger. On days when I couldn’t make a yoga class, I would take up something more intense like kickboxing or running. The crazy thing about this was that this small change led to other much bigger changes that I began subconsciously making. I suddenly became more aware of what I was eating and where the food I bought was coming from. I also started taking small steps toward incorporating more exercise throughout my day, such as walking more than taking the bus. And even though I sometimes dread going to Southwest Recreation Center, spending one hour at the gym every day has changed my life. I noticed that my anxiety and stress levels are nowhere near as high as they were before. I’ve also started to feel more comfortable in my own skin; I’m so much more confident and outwardly motivated than I was before I started working out. Now whenever I’m feeling down or just having a rough day, I know that a trip to the gym will do me wonders. While it might sound cliché to say, I’ll forever be indebted to this minor change I’ve made.
Heed my advice collegiettes: Whenever you’re feeling stressed out and overwhelmed, take a step back and hit the gym. Not only is going to somewhere like Southwest or Student Rec completely free, but it’s also the best way to clear your head and do your body some good. Trust me — your mind, body and soul will definitely thank you later!