Going into my freshman year of college I have had to adjust to a variety of different things— some being living with a roommate, managing homework, and navigating around the large campus that is Penn State University. One thing that especially has been a challenge for me is creating a workout routine that fits in my brand new life style. Coming from high school, I would attend team practices five to six days a week throughout the entirety of the year, so this had never been a problem for me before. However, as I have been slowly adjusting over the past week, I am learning new ways to incorporate fitness into my daily life.
The first recommendation I have to stay fit at college is to establish a weekly routine. Personally, I know I am done with classes at noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so these are great days for me to schedule a workout into my week. On top of this, studies show that exercising approximately at the same time each day leads to better long term results. This keeps it easy to follow an established pattern you have set for yourself, rather than try to squeeze in time to go to the gym during a hectic day. Furthermore, the weekly classes offered at Penn State in both the IM and White building offer additional support in ensuring you maintain that weekly routine. Some of the classes they offer include cycling, yoga, HIIT workouts, and more. If you can pre-establish times that consistently work within your schedule, working out multiple days of the week will be much more obtainable.
At the very least, one thing I would encourage everybody to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle during their time in college is to incorporate fitness into their daily routine. For, example, taking a route to class that is just five minutes longer than their typical walk can make a big difference over the course of an entire semester. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator is also an easy and quick way to push yourself slightly harder than normal. There are many benefits to taking the stairs everyday, so considering I live on the sixth floor in my residence hall, I hope to take in all of these advantages each time I go to my room. Overall, maintaining a fit life at college is not impossible, it will just take some careful planning and extra few minutes of effort to contribute to a lifetime of happiness and good health.