5 Ways that Regular Exercise Leads to Better Grades
When it comes to working out, or participating in any physical activity most people run away to avoid it. This isn’t anything new considering the word “cardio” doesn’t really get many people to jump up and down in excitement. However, cardio is one of the key factors towards being successful, especially when being a college student.
Luckily, it doesn’t take much! Becoming active for even 30 minutes every other day sows benefits, so don’t settle for “taking the L” when you can take advantage of the resources given to you.
One of the great luxuries of being a college student is that 9/10 your recreation center on campus is “free” aka “already mixed in with the rest of your tuition money.” At Middle Tennessee State University, I know this to be a fact which gives you even more of a reason to go and get your mind and body pumping on the regular. Why let this portion of your tuition go to waste? The steps to getting the GPA or the grades you want are right around the corner, and our recreation center provides many different activities for ALL types of people, even the laziest can enjoy it’s perks.
Located on the edge of campus diagonal of the Student Union building is the recreation center. It offers many different activities from indoor and outdoor aquatics, indoor courts, a large weight room, fitness room, indoor track, indoor soccer field, ping pong tables, cycling, dance studio, and even individual rooms for a more personal scene. Not only do they include all of this, but there is also a climbing wall and outdoor rental equipment. Still not impressed? MT Tops offers numerous outdoor field trips to many beautiful spots to get away and enjoy nature after a long semester of dedication in the classroom.
So with all of this offered, any somewhat studious student knows that this is something not to pass up. However, the question still lingers: how does any of this lead to better grades? Well, research studies such as the one held at Purdue (link at bottom) are proving that any regular workout can improve your life. With each work out, the outcome works in relation to how you act in the classroom. Here’s 5 ways that regular exercise will lead the typical MTSU student to better grades:
1. Look good, feel good
Let’s not pretend like this isn’t true. When you look good you feel like you’re on top of the world and even Beyoncé comes second to you. Regardless of if you work out for 2 hours or even 30 minutes, the sense of achievement afterwards is so rewarding that it leaves you hungry for more. Not to mention that even after a short time of being active and eating healthy there starts to be results. One of the most common goals for the female work out is the booty, just like how the common goal for guys is to work out their arms to get buff, and once you see a little pop you’re not going to stay enclosed in the prison walls of your dorm room. This leads to an increase of wanting to be more involved and being more willing to go to class, and the first step to getting good grades is to simply attend class. So to avoid feeling sluggish tomorrow, go pump some iron today to increase your motivation to go to class.
2. Cognitive juices flowing
Another great benefit to exercise is the cognitive effects on your mind. This may be one of the most common reasons to work out, but it is one of the most important things to keep in mind (no pun intended). When your body is in shape then your mind is also in shape. The brain is a delicate and intricate system within our bodies that works its best when it is simply being worked on the daily. What better way as a devoted MTSU student to do this than to go to the rec and play basketball with your boys at around 7PM? Having a healthy mind is a natural aid to being able to recall those notes that you crammed in the night before. Not only this, but having a healthy mind allows you to realize that cramming is not wise at all, and staying ahead of the game helps your grades to stay in tip top shape.
3. Awake, alert, alive enthusiastic
Imagine this… it’s Sunday night and you’re laying in bed after engulfing a large pepperoni pizza. As you stare at the ceiling you sigh at the fact that tomorrow is Monday and you have an 8A.M.. Most of us have been through this at least once, if not many times before. However, what would you say if the way to get around this feeling of dread was to go to the rec first? You get to burn off some calories, eat some pizza (or a healthier alternative), and then by that time you’ll be so tired that you will have to get some rest. All this ending in a longer night’s sleep with the “awake, alert, alive enthusiastic” approach to life the next morning. With the help of a little exercise, you get the benefits of better sleep and clearer focus in class which is much needed if you want to be able to pass the next Anatomy exam. You will also be full of so much energy that you won’t even be thinking about dozing off anymore or secretly planning the next nap session.
4. Positively here
Another perk to working out your mind and body is that even those bad vibes that come with the words “college” or “homework” seem to not be as awful. Most know that along with those words usually comes a ton of stress and hardship, but a great way to rid of this worry is to relieve your mind by exercise. Go to the rec and walk a mile to clear your mind of the 5 deadlines you have coming up so that when you go back you will be completely ready to get down to the nitty gritty of things. Not only are you looking good, feeling good, thinking good, and resting good, but you’re also internally good. This meaning that you will feel so positive about completing those assignments that you cannot be stopped! As a college student at MTSU, keeping the positivity toward your work helps you to stay dedicated, and being in shape helps with this positive mindset.
5. Victory after-all!
Finally, the ultimate victory that we all strive for… graduation! Before we jump the gun, however, it is important to consider each little piece of college as an achievement each leading up to this victory. Getting in shape may not seem like a big deal when beginning, continuing, and finishing this journey at MTSU, but it is a bigger contributor than you think. All it takes is one time to start feeling all of these benefits, and you will never want to go back to the drag of your old routine. Becoming dedicated towards a daily routine of exercise also helps you to stay dedicated to your work, and the quality of what you put out matches the quality of what you feel. So, what is your next step going to be? To stay complacent or to obtain your ultimate victory?
Purdue research study: http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2013/Q2/college-students-working-out-at-campus-gyms-get-better-grades.html
