Staying Active During Exam Season
Tis the season – of finals, papers and marking. When you feel like your calendar is jam packed with essays, assignments, and tests, you’re often faced with a decision: to exercise, or not to exercise?
Academic commitments are a priority, but so is your health. Students who don’t find time to exercise are often forgetting to consider the benefits associated with being active, including:
Better Grades
Recent studies have suggested a link between fitness and intelligence. Studies of students have found that increased aerobic capacity is correlated with increased memory function. Exercise can enhance various cognitive functions, including attention and working memory. The prefrontal cortex, a brain area responsible for these functions, appears to respond positively to physical exercise, likely due to the increased blood flow, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the brain. 1
Helping with Stress
When you exercise, endorphins (feel good chemicals) are released, contributing to better moods and lower stress levels. Whether you say “om” in a yoga class or sweat it out on an elliptical, chances are you’ll be in a better mood when you’re done!
Staying social
It’s easy to hole yourself up in the library or your room, studying. Making exercise a priority gets you out and interacting. Come into Campus Recreation (WSRC - Rec Centre) to see and engage with people besides your professors and TAs!
Providing a much-needed study break
Research has shown that taking a break of 5–60 minutes from studying to refresh your brain and body increases your energy, productivity, and ability to focus2. Oftentimes you’re actually more productive if you take breaks during times of work!
A quick workout is a perfect way to leave the textbooks and papers for a brief escape. You never need to feel guilty for taking a break to exercise—it’s good for you! Whether you want to try out some cardio equipment, try out a group fitness class or drop in sport, hit the weight room, or simply take a walk outside - making sure you fit physical activity into your busy schedule will increase those endorphins and help to keep you healthy during the December time. Not sure where to start, check out our to get oriented to our space(s). Every little bit of exercise counts and making the time to stay active will benefit you in more ways than one!
Here are some simple ways to fit exercise into your life during busy times:
Walk to class
It doesn’t seem like much, but choosing to walk instead of taking the bus is a simple way to make sure you’re staying active. Even on your busiest days, walking to campus is a great low cost option to stay active.
Take the stairs
If the fourth floor of the library is your favourite study spot, consider taking the stairs every time you go. With a heavy backpack, your trips for coffee, phone calls, and fresh air can add up to quite a few flights. Every step counts!
Join a Recreational Sport Club or Group Fitness Class
If you’re the kind of person who needs to be held accountable, joining a recreational sport club may be a good option. With fellow members to ask where you’ve been, skipping practices will be much harder. If you don’t want to join a club, even becoming a regular in a group fitness class can give you that sense of accountability.
Mark it down
Schedule your exercise just as you’d schedule your meetings, tests, and other commitments; writing it down serves as a reminder that you’ve made a commitment and that you need to follow through.
Make it easy
Keep a gym bag packed with your shoes, lock, and water bottle ready to go. Then when you need a break from your studies, you can’t make excuses about not being ready to get moving. Set yourself up for success!
Now that you know why exercise should remain a priority and you’ve got some ideas to step up your activity level, you’ve only got one decision to make: exercise now, or exercise later? …. we would like to suggest now.
ÉîÒ¹¸£ÀûÕ¾ students receive a membership to , and access to the WSRC (ÉîÒ¹¸£ÀûÕ¾ Student Recreation Centre) with their valid ÉîÒ¹¸£ÀûÕ¾ ONE Card.
Research References
National Library of Medicine:
National Library of Medicine:
National Library of Medicine:
1 NeuroScience News:
Canadian Journal of School Psychology:
American Psychological Association:
2 Cornell University, Cornell Health:
Posted: December 4, 2024. Part of the Fitness & Wellness Wednesdays Series 2024-25. Videos are filmed while facility was closed.
Past Wellness Wednesday Articles & Videos
Physical Activity is Good for Your Mental Health - Sport and Recreation Services - ÉîÒ¹¸£ÀûÕ¾
