As college students, we all know what the end of November means (no, not Thanksgiving or Christmas) - finals week. Yeah I know, scary right? But fear no more because all that stress that you're about to feel come on can easily be tamed with one simple task: working out.
I know that most of you reading this will probably think that working out will probably add stress, but trust me, working out gets your mind off of whatever you're worry about now and directs that energy into being active and healthy. After those late night in the library eating that bag (or bags) of chips you brought for a snack, you'll feel so much better about yourself rather than not doing anything at all.
Working out was never really my thing until about 4 months ago, when I started going to a personal trainer and made it a priority to work out at least 2-3 times a week. Now, I am in love with exercising and how it makes me feel after the fact. It causes me to have more energy, feel happier, and be more productive. With finals week coming up, the more energy we have, the better. Working out has been proven to reduce anxiety, sharpen memory, and boost brainpower.
Now with all this talk about working out, you're probably thinking, "what should I do now?" or "how do I even work out"? Well, you can start by going on a 30 minute walk either in the morning or to just take a break from staring at a textbook for hours on end. And if you want to keep that workout going for a full hour you can look up different exercises, go with a friend that knows how to work out efficiently or even take a class at your gym. One of the keys to working out is to not just go through the motions but really dedicate yourself to the exercises that you're doing and push yourself to your limit, that's how you really get the full benefit of going to the gym.
Finals week can be stressful, if you let it be that way. Working out is just one of the many ways that you can relieve stress during this trying time of the semester, it's just one of the best ways that I found to help me in my life. I hope that if you do try this as a stress reliever that you'll use it beyond just that but to completely better your life and choosing a healthier lifestyle.
Good luck on finals, fellow Bulls!!!
