The view from the bus loop, a common walking area for students. Many students agree that a walk is refreshing throughout the school day.

The power of a walk

Rylea Townsend, Writer

April 26, 2023

As spring arrives, everyone has one thing in common: wanting to be outside. A seven hour school day spent entirely indoors leaves students feeling trapped and antsy, and there’s one obvious solution.

Walks are beloved by the entire student body. There’s no better surprise than arriving at your fourth period class after a long day of notes and tests to find out your teacher has planned a brisk walk.

“When I hear we’re going on a walk, I feel elevated. I enjoy clearing my mind by going outside and getting fresh air. I honestly think it helps everyone focus more on class when we come back,” shared junior Alison Kacerik.

This isn’t just a ploy to get out of class. When researching through the American Psychological Association, I found that a psychologist at Trent University, Lisa Nibet, PHD, said that the “sense of connection you have with the natural world seems to contribute to happiness even when you’re not physically immersed in nature.”

“I enjoy walks. It was a little odd being photographed while enjoying my stroll, typically because I’m not the type of girl who has to deal with the paparazzi on a day to day basis. It was nice to feel the brisk air wrap around my hair as I took a borderline left turn, but here I am again, speaking to you in this classroom. I wanna ask, how did I end up here? But I think we know the answer,” shared junior Sydney Eberling

Students are genuinely happier and healthier when they go on daily walks in school. It gives them a nice dose of vitamin D and an opportunity to rest their minds so they aren’t too overstimulated to focus.

“Going for a walk makes me feel relaxed,” sophomore Ellie Rivera agrees. “It’s really beneficial because giving my brain a break allows me to do better in school after the walk.”

Teachers may find an issue with taking frequent walks throughout the school day. The simple solution to this, in my opinion, is taking one class a day on a walk, and rotating on a daily schedule. For instance, first period on Monday, second period on Tuesday, and so on.

Walks don’t have to be lengthy to be beneficial. A simple two lap stroll around the bus loop leaves students feeling calm and prepared to focus. This May, spend more time walking and less time stressing. Go on a walk.