Tired college students: How students balance routine and exercise

The Physical activity It is an important practice for any age group, from childhood to old age. However, not everything is perfect, as routine tasks and daily tasks end up affecting your ability to exercise regularly.

“My routine is very busy, I focus on college, especially during the week” – Photo: Personal Archive / Lucas Medeiros / ND

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) health), it is recommended to do 300 minutes of physical activity per week – equivalent to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise per day – or 150 minutes of intense activity, if there are no medical contraindications.

In the case of university students, strict adherence to the recommended time is always a challenge. Work, college and social life often end up preventing some from finding space in their schedule to exercise.

However, there is no rule. In some situations, a person works, studies, and manages a regular amount of exercise. Others just go to college, but because of the burden on them, they don’t do any other activity.

Running routine for college students

Maria Eduarda, 21, for example, is in the final period of her culinary school. Before, she worked as a chef, but she chose to prioritize her course and for this reason she is not currently working.

Despite going to the gym for three to four days, sometimes college work ends up taking a toll on your routine, leaving you unable to exercise regularly. “Sometimes I have to give up going to the gym to get some work done at home. Basically TCC (course completion work).”

Maria Eduarda says she tries to go to the gym every day, but the routine ends up getting too much, especially when she has some practical discipline – Photo: Personal Archive / Maria Eduarda / ND

Most of the time, college ends up with a significant portion of students’ time, whether those who are in their final term or those who have recently started college life. “I booked all my time for classes and college projects,” says Lucas Medeiros, 20, a second-year journalism student.

Before going to college, the student used to play ball on Tuesday nights and practice Muay Thai on Tuesday and Thursday. Now, he can only play ball sporadically on the weekends.

On the other hand, juggling all the duties and physical exercises is possible for some people. Camille Gualberto, 18, for example, is a nutrition student who works as a caregiver for the elderly and still has time to go to the gym five times a week. For her, the secret is to understand and keep the ideal time to train each day.

For the student, aligning food and exercise makes her have more will to carry on and be disciplined through the day – Photo: Personal Archive/Kamily/ND

“I go to the gym in the morning — about seven in the morning — and I go straight to work, I stay there all day and at night I go to college,” the student says. She still referred to the morning as the best time to train, so no last minute commitment got in the way. “Even on tiring days, my priority is to go for weight training, because that’s what gives me energy for the whole day and I notice better quality of life, sleep and mood.”

Feeling happy in physical activity can bring stability

Reconciling academic, work and physical exercise routines may not be an easy task, but it can reflect positively on students’ lives. This is explained by Jolmerson de Carvalho, physical educator and course professor at UFSC (Federal University of Santa Catarina). pointed to ND + What is important is that there is pleasure in physical activity no matter what.

“It doesn’t matter if you are going to run or do yoga or some other activity. There is a release of endorphins and serotonin in exercise. When they are released the mind and body start to show results within a few days of practice. There is more focus during classes, better thinking, and faster learning and better academic performance,” he explains.

Carvalho also stated that by feeling pleasure in the activity being performed, the individual is able to perform it repeatedly, which, he explained, helps students in practice.

For example, “The best exercise is the one we feel happy and we succeed in performing, and this allows us to obtain conditions of continuity and repetition in its performance.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the lifestyles of UFSC students

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the lives of many people and it will be no different with the students of the UFSC (Federal University of Santa Catarina). Explaining mental health conditions and lifestyles, was Professor Daniela Ribeiro-Schneider, research coordinator “Lifestyles and Mental Health of UFSC Residents in Times of Covid-19”.

Al-Moallem explained that all people felt affected by the epidemic, but he stressed the importance of physical exercises to promote health. She also explained that many people who had never been physically active before started exercising.

“People have turned to physical activity resources due to prolonged sitting. Many started as a hobby and a way to deal with escape situations.”, explained the teacher.

In the research coordinated by Daniela, data showed that there was a perception of the pandemic’s negative impact on mental health conditions in 63% of all participants. Graduate students (78.4%) were the most affected, followed by undergraduate students (74.6%). Among the negative effects are increased feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety.

Thus, whatever the activity, following the example of the interviewees, the important thing is not to stand still. Professors Jolmerson and Daniela agree that the practices bring both physical and mental benefits to students, in addition to the negative impact of the pandemic COVID-19You feel the daily pressures in pursuit of a degree.