With all the responsibilities that college students have, it can be easy to put yourself on the back burner. Jobs, schoolwork and more can infiltrate our lives and make it difficult to find time to prioritize our basic human needs such as sleep, eating well and exercise. Taking time out of the day to move our bodies is crucial to improve our health, both physically and mentally.

Exercising, even for 15 minutes a day, can boost your mental health. It allows you to focus solely on how to better yourself and clear the unnecessary noise in your brain. Certain activities make students focus on their breath and to get out of their head. By doing so, this makes students focus on being in the present, not thinking about what lies ahead the rest of the day.

Working out releases endorphins which boosts your mood, improves confidence and keeps you motivated. If students feel unmotivated, they should try and show up to the gym; they will feel better if they do.

Besides the mental aspect, working out keeps you in shape. It improves cardiovascular health, reduce risk of disease and strengthens your muscles and bones among a plethora of benefits to be obtained from working out. It increases longevity and quality of life. If the gym isn’t your thing, when the weather gets nice, exercising is the perfect excuse to get outside. Getting fresh air in your lungs is an additional benefit and another way to have fun.

If people are hesitant about working out, there are plenty of different activities to choose from. For those looking to escalate their heart rate, running, jogging and swimming are great options. For those wanting to take the slower route, walking, biking and yoga are the way to go. With various ways to get active, students are guaranteed to find a workout that works best for them.

Working out in college is easily accessible as there are gyms students can utilize on campus. Instead of paying for a membership at other gyms, students should use the free equipment here on campus. When the weather is warmer, there’s a outdoor fitness trail on campus along with plenty of hiking trails around the area, requiring no equipment at all. By using these sources, students can save money.

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