The Trek to Success
As students, sometimes, life can get away from us. It is easy to forget to take care of our bodies, but this is crucial to our personal and academic success. Experts say that exercise is not only beneficial physically and mentally, but it can actually lead to better performance in school.
Here’s why you should stay active in college:
- Heightened Focus- Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance, and classroom behaviors
- Elevated Mood/ Decrease in Stress- Prolonged periods of stress have negative effects on the body and mind—exercise combats those by assisting with sleep/wake cycles, which ultimately eases anxiety, and may alleviate larger health problems down the road.
- Increased Energy- Scientists examined the effect exercise had on the brains of mice, and learned that daily workouts replenished their brain energy stores and also gave them extra energy, particularly in the areas of the brain that have to do with cognitive thinking.
- Sharper Memory – Higher physical activity and physical fitness levels are associated with improved cognitive performance (e.g., concentration, memory) among students.
Noelle’s Story
Noelle Harf is an undergraduate first-year student at the University of North Carolina. In this interview, she shares her experience with exercise throughout her life, and why she has always been so drawn to it.