College is stressful. With a full course load, extra-curriculars, and maybe even an on or off-campus job, it can be really hard to find time to be active. And when you have the time, it’s also hard to motivate yourself to put effort into getting ready and going to the gym. However, living an active lifestyle is the key to success. Being active increases your overall productivity, alleviates stress, releases endorphins, and elevates your overall mood. Of course, we’ve all heard this before, but the time commitment of walking to the gym, working out, coming back, showering, etc. still scares some people away from actually going to the gym. So how can we still have this active lifestyle and earn all those wonderful benefits while not dreading actually doing the workout? Easy! Make your active lifestyle a priority in just five easy ways. Walk to class, take the stairs, get a workout buddy, workout in your room, and take a fun class! Doing any of these activities or a combination of some of them will keep your body active, therefore allowing you to be productive in school and get rid of extra stress!
- Walk to class.
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Boston University is a huge campus: about a mile and a half long. Think about walking that every day…10,000 steps no problem! Walking to class will wake your brain up before you sit down in lecture so you will be ready to focus on your classes.
- Take the stairs.
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This one seems trivial, but a few flights of stairs every day is great for toning! Not to mention the additional weight of a backpack—walking from CAS B25 to 417 will get your booty in shape in no time!
- Find a workout buddy!
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Going to the gym with a friend is a great way to ensure that you actually follow through on your commitment to work out. Going with a friend will make you feel bad about bailing and can also make the actual experience of working out way more enjoyable. You can challenge yourself, try new things, and talk to your friends while doing it.
- Work out in your room!
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Starting every day with a quick little abdominal series in your room is a really great way to wake up your whole body. Additionally, it’s easy enough to play two songs in the morning and do a plank and some crunches…so why not do it? You’ll see fast results and be more alert for your day.
- Take an exercise class!
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On a weekend or a day when you don’t have as much work, splurge and take an exercise class. Boston has so many interesting workout classes that make working out enjoyable! 305 Fitness and Corepower Yoga are even on BU’s campus, so they are super easy to get to. Barry’s Bootcamp, Soul Cycle, Handle Bar, and so many other awesome workouts are just in Back Bay, so taking these fun classes is easy to do!
All in all, once an active lifestyle is a priority of yours, you will be so much more productive and feel so much better on the daily. As hard as it can be to commit to starting this new regimen, the benefits are so amazing and will help you in all aspects of college life.
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