Making your way around campus, walking fast, faces pass, and you’re class-bound…Whether you’re aware of it or not, a huge chunk of your time is spent walking to class. Maybe you’re a slow walker or the person aggressively skirting around slow walkers. Perhaps you avoid eye contact with everyone or wave to each friend you pass. Your walk to class has potential for greatness. Okay, that’s a little bit of a dramatization, because walks to class can never be that great but they can always be better. If you want to improve your walk to class try adapting these easy tips!
1. Say “Hello, (NAME)!” to the person you pass who’s a friend of a friend.
Seriously, doesn’t it make you feel good when someone address you by your name? Skip the mental back-and-forth debate of wondering whether you should wave or smile or pretend you don’t see them. Jump in, give them a smile and a wave and your best greeting. It’ll make you look friendly, thoughtful and awesome. Don’t overthink.
2. Look up from your phone.
Keep your eyes on where you’re going. Enjoy the scenery and look for friends during your walk. Use your newfound freedom of eye gaze to avoid students on bikes or scooters…or Heelys. Yeah, there are some people on campus who are still rocking those. Don’t get hit by someone on Heelys, although it’d surely make a great story.
3. Listen your music or a podcast on low volume.
If you insist on listening to something, keep it on a low volume. This will prevent potentially not hearing an acquaintance say “Hello!” to you which could lead to the person thinking you’re rude or you’re ignoring them. That’s a bit of a stretch, but tell me you haven’t ever thought someone was rude for not returning your greeting, especially if you didn’t realize they had headphones on! Low volume will also help you be more aware of your surroundings (i.e.: You’ll hear a car honk before it almost hits you).
4. Bring sunglasses, hats or any weather appropriate necessities.
How much better will your walk be if you don’t have to squint and shiver in the cold? So much better, that’s right! Bundle up or spray on some sunscreen or throw on your favorite pair of sunnies to make your walk to class even awesomer and comfier. You can also opt for the sunglasses if you’re a little bit hungover or want to just be able to look at whatever and whomever you want without getting caught.
5. Call your family or friends during your walk.
If you’re alone, especially at night, why not give them a call? It’ll make you feel safer knowing you’re on the phone and it’s a nice little way to stay connected. When walking back from night class in the winter, calling your parents is a great distraction from the wind chill and darkness. I highly suggest this if you’re easily paranoid whilst walking from night class and feel as though speaking on the phone will deter potential murderers.
6. Bring only the necessities.
Don’t lug around a fifty pound backpack unless it’s absolutely necessary. Before each class, put only the books you need in your bag. Avoid carrying around a bunch of things you don’t actually need at that moment. Also, make sure you have the necessities before you leave. Double check that you have your phone, assignments for class, house key and ID before you begin your journey to class.
7. Use a step counter.
If you don’t have a FitBit, you can also use the Health app on your iPhone to track your steps. This might give you a sense of purpose and you might even take the long way to class in order to hit your 10,000 steps. This is a nice way to sort of work on your vague New Year’s Resolution of “being healthy.”
8. Leave for class in a timely manner.
Don’t wait to leave until two minutes before class begins. By giving yourself plenty of time to walk to class, you can take your time and relax instead of half-sprinting (or walking slowly and not giving a crap) to class. In fact, if you leave early enough, you might even have time to grab coffee. If you’re late, though, skip the coffee because showing up late to class with Starbucks in your hand will surely earn you plenty of death stares from your under-caffeinated peers.