As a busy college student, staying active, and staying healthy can be hard during the semester. I have found a way to keep my sanity by getting in some exercise and making sure I am well nourished.
To stay active, I have found the best way for me is to take advantage of Campus Rec’s Group exercise classes. From barre to pilates, yoga, total body sculpt and more. I find times that work in my schedule that I will feel more inclined to attend after I have signed up and bothered to bring a change of clothes to school for the day.
Going to exercise classes takes 45 minutes to clear my head from what I was doing before and what I have to do after. Not only do they get me to have a good workout in, they help me be more present and calm down after a long day of classes.
While I prefer to find classes that I can leave campus and go shower at home, I will say it is very convenient that the locker rooms in Anna Fascitelli have a shower to take advantage of incase you can’t make it home for a shower and change.
I like to find one-four classes that I go to during the week which makes me stick to a more set schedule for school, and health.
One myth that should be busted about Group exercise classes is that they are easier than just going and doing your personal workouts at the gym. Classes like Pilates, Barre, and Total body sculpt are as difficult as you decide, similar to a personal workout. Not to mention our F45 classes. I have never personally attended one to actually take, but I did take photos for an F45 class, and I don’t think I could finish a session.
Another important part of staying healthy is to keep a healthy mindset. I struggle with keeping a positive attitude when I have a mountain of work to do. However, I find that using resources available to me is helpful to not let myself get too overwhelmed.
I’ve used the university’s counseling center and have found that it really helped me out during a time that I needed it. For other options of keeping a healthy mindset, there are classes like mindfulness journaling, self care nights, and meditation offered through Campus Rec.
I think the best thing that helps me is taking time away from work, school, social media when I feel like I need it.
Taking a break when needed is the best way to prevent burn out. I like to take advantage of the fact I live on a beach and slow down by going outside.
My final part about keeping on top of my health and wellness is food. I had a small adjustment to make last year that I would have less time to cook for myself. My sophomore year I became a vegetarian and since we were online, I had a lot more time to cook meals for myself and find new recipes. However I found that something that helps me make sure I don’t order out all the time is meal prepping. I’ll choose two meals to make at the beginning of the week and buy anything I might need for it over the weekend. Sometimes I’ll be able to use the produce I get at URI’s free farmers market. My meals usually last two days for lunch and dinner. And then I make another meal. If you’re a commuter, consider getting a commuter meal plan so you can get lunch on campus easily as well.
Remember to stay nourished and to stay healthy!
Group Exercise – Campus Recreation
Finding the Perfect Group Exercise Class for You – Inside Rec Blog
Group Exercise Policies – Campus Recreation
FloURIsh: Nature Journalling – University of Rhode Island
Meal Plans for Fall’22 – Dining Services
Hi everyone! My name is Madeline Bataille. I am a Senior at URI from New Jersey. I have a double major 
in Journalism and Spanish. As well as a double minor in Art and Gender and Women’s Studies. This is my second semester with the Campus Recreation marketing team and my first semester as a Program assistant! You can find me around campus at 193 coffeehouse, or as the Photo Editor for The Good Five Cent Cigar. Some of my hobbies include playing guitar, taking photos, hiking and thrifting. I look forward to another great year at Rhody!