With the lure of electronic activities like playing computer games and surfing the net that don’t require physical exercise, students may miss out on an opportunity to socialize, keep healthy and boost their brainpower.
Sports activities will relieve your stress, help you to sleep better, control your weight, improve your mood and give you more energy. Universities and colleges usually have many traditional sports teams, but there are many other sports activities on campus that cater to all types of individuals and levels of expertise, from complete novices to the very sporty.
Here are various sports for students, some more conventional and others a little more unusual.
Traditional sports
The most popular sports for students are usually traditional ones like football, basketball, volleyball and softball. Students who begin playing these sports in high school often continue in college. The average university sponsors at least twenty different sports.
Playing team sports not only allows you to become fit but has many other benefits too. Sharing fun and special moments, socialization, making new friends and developing teamwork skills are all part of playing in a team.
Playing a team sport allows you to pick up a number of soft skills, too, such as time management and strategic thinking. Showing you could play a team sport without affecting your studies, or that you could take a responsible role, such as captain, will impress future employees.
Taking a break from your studies to play a team sport will help to keep your mind focused and alert because exercise increases the blood flow to your brain.
Solo sports
There are many great ways to spend time exercising on your own. Swimming is one solo sport that offers a low-impact full-body workout. You can schedule it whenever you have the time and an hour of swimming will burn calories and give you some good aerobic exercise. Running, walking and strength training are other enjoyable solo sports.
As a student, you have a heavy workload and you often need to make a concerted effort to fit exercise into your program. You can even engage in an intensive cardio workout right in your dorm room to save time.
There are many Pilates and yoga videos on YouTube that will give you a good workout. If you feel you don’t have the time, you can use writing services by the professional essay writers to complete college tasks, so your life is more balanced. Thesis or dissertation, college essays or term papers, online writing experts help you with every writing project.
Adventure sports
If you like to accompany your exercise with a bit of adventure, off-road cycling, hiking, cross-country skiing, rowing, or rock climbing can challenge you. It also allows you to see more of nature, take great photos and forget about your studies for a while so you can return to them refreshed.
Just remember that adventure sports place more demands on your body and proper nutrition is essential to keep your performance at its peak and reduce chances of injury.
Reading nutrition essay topics, such as how nutrition influences brain performance or what type of nutrition you need if you do adventure sports, can help you to make the right choices when it comes to what you eat.
Dance activities
After sitting in class, studying and researching, sometimes all you want to do is get up and move. Dancing is often an extremely popular activity at college, with lots of interest and a variety of different opportunities, from hip-hop to ballroom.
Dance clubs are student organizations that dance for fun and provide a great way to get some exercise. As the atmosphere is non-competitive, this is a more laid-back way to participate in dance than to join a dance team which competes with other college teams.
Most dance clubs also have a performance or two to showcase their talents and you can invite family or friends along to see you perform. Special dance events can include programs organized by students to support charitable causes.
Unusual sports
If you’re not into traditional sports, college is the place where you’re likely to find some unusual clubs. You could find an unusual club where you’ll meet people with similar interests to you.
If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you may be tickled to play Quidditch which has made its way from fiction into our muggle world. Players may not ride on brooms but the game can be highly entertaining. Roller Derby is another full-contact sport played on wheels by both men and women.
If you’ve always wondered what Underwater Hockey or Disc Golf (Frolf) must be like to play, now’s your chance. Parkour is another unusual sport that requires quick reflexes and stamina to overcome obstacles and the environment, simply by using your body.
A final word
To find out what’s available at your school, check the student organizations page on the website and you’ll be amazed at how many diverse opportunities a school may have to offer. University life can be stressful, with heavy workloads and pressure to meet deadlines for assignments. If you don’t find ways to relieve the pressure, you will find it difficult to cope.
Sports activities provide the perfect outlet, keep your brain and body healthy and offer you the opportunity to make friends, conquer physical challenges and much more. Finding the right balance between your studies and other activities can be a challenge, but it is important if you want to be able to look back on an enjoyable and memorable university experience.
