The season of final assignments and exams has officially started. It might be tempting to stay glued to your seat at the library all day, or stay in bed long enough to carve your body shape into your mattress, but keeping a bit of movement in your life during this dreadful period can only benefit your productivity. Most importantly your physical and mental health. It’s cold, it’s dark, “I don’t have time, I have to study”: I’ll grant you that, it’s no easy task to find time and motivation and get movement into your life, but there surely are ways to clear your head that will fit into your revision schedule and override the depressing winter Edinburgh can display.
Three years into university, I realised how necessary physical activity is to students’ wellbeing, and didn’t necessarily have to take much of our time during the busiest periods of the year. Commuting to class, for example, takes me about 30 minutes if I rely on the unpredictable bus 35. Walking to class, however, will take me about the same amount of time, depending on my energy, headwind’s vigour, and the number of tourists on the Royal Mile. If you can, walking to university instead of using public transports can be a smart way to add a light physical activity into your week. The cold can be quite dissuasive, but I found that piling up layers and grabbing a warm coffee on the way makes the process a bit less demanding… So put on your favourite playlist or podcast, leave five minutes earlier if needed, and get some steps in!
Other than that, the University of Edinburgh has plenty of indoor sports facilities to offer, from Pleasance and St Leonard’s Land to Easter Bush gyms. If you haven’t been able to get a gym membership for the year or the semester, pay-as-you-go entries are also available for £6,50 to occasionally clear your mind and get shelter from Edinburgh’s cold wind. Why not try a bit of running on a treadmill, bouldering with friends or letting off steam in the squash courts after a long study session? The University has also developed diverse resources for students to remain active during their studies. The Active Lives Team organises regular wellbeing walks and social cycle sessions, and the “Sports and Exercise” website of the University includes videos from the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre, guiding students into building a circuit of exercises at home, but also introducing yoga and pilates basic moves. No excuse, you don’t even need to leave your room anymore!
For our bravest readers who will dare confronting November’s rainiest and coldest days, the city of Edinburgh has plenty of exercising spots to offer. A stroll or a run for the most motivated around the Meadows, Holyrood Park, or along Portobello beach, with the appropriate clothing, never disappoint. Let’s not forget how lucky we are to study in a city where so much greenery is within our reach. Finally, for those who would rather stay inside, why not stick to the Scottish tradition and say displaying your best dance moves at a Ceilidh isn’t a bad idea to get some physical activity! Whichever option you choose, and I say that with as much objectivity as my role as sports’ writer allows me to display, considering staying active during the winter is a real treat. It is too easy to neglect our physical and mental well-being, which is already severely strained by the lack of sunlight and the approaching end of semester. Getting movement into your routine is as productive as working over exams or essays, and is not a waste of time, because occasionally freeing your mind of all the pressure from university can only benefit your efficiency, and your general welfare. In the long run, you will thank yourself for allowing such activities into your schedule.
Photo by Andrew Valdivia on Unsplash