The power of a walk

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.”

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.