The Power of Exercise by Ryan

The Power of Exercise by Ryan - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

Every New Year’s celebration brings the ideas of “new year, new me.” The sad reality is this doesn’t happen as much as it is declared. I make resolutions wearily because I take all of my commitments seriously. One New Year's resolution that will help me become a better student in 2016 would be a higher commitment to exercise in my daily schedule.
As a high school student, I was always involved in some kind of sport even though I was not a jock by any means. I tried just about every game until I found my fit with cross country. It is one of the parts of high school that I miss the most. When I got to college, it was much harder to find the time to run or exercise and I have been struggling with that ever since I started. I believe that making a higher commitment to exercise in general, whether that be running or swimming, will be of service to me academically. The past two semester have been high stress and have not allowed for any kind of exercise. There were many late nights and poor eating choices. All of these choices build up over time and leave me out of shape. When I run or swim, I do it for enjoyment and good health. I believe that a positive side-effect of this will be a better academic experience because it acts as a stress aid. When I exercise, I can have a temporary escape from academia and be in a different mental state. In some work places there are desks that are raised to be stood behind rather that sat behind, or have a exercise ball to sit at, or at more experimental places, are surrounded by a treadmill. The purpose of all these different styles of work is that the mind is more active when it is being exercised. In other words, a body or mind in motion will stay and motion and a body or mind at rest will stay, or want to be, at rest. College requires a great amount of time sitting, whether it be at a desk in class, studying, sleeping, eating, or for a music student like myself, practicing. Some claim that “sitting is the new smoking.” This is a bold statement that should be taken into serious consideration. To be a successful college student, he or she needs to be in good health. Being in good health takes physical and mental health into consideration. Having exercise as a daily part of a schedule addresses both issues. It will improve physical health through exercise. Even more valuable for mental heath is exercise. Personally, it helps me relax during and afterward. It is an escape from the pressures of school. It also can help with confidence issues. As a person who did cross country in high school, I have felt the lack of time to exercise in college has caused a loss of confidence in physical ability. I have also always dealt with weight and self- image. These aspects are also part of good mental health. When I exercise more often, I am restoring my physical health and fighting my negative attitudes about myself and give myself more confidence. This is how I restore my mental health.
I believe that the best resolution I can have for myself in 2016 for my own personal sake and for my academic success would be a higher dedication to exercise in my schedule. The idea of diets, exercise and losing weight are on the minds of many in the New Year, however not all commit to their goals. I hope that with this essay, I can make the commitment to myself to make exercise a more active part of my college schedule. I have confidence that a higher level of physical, mental and overall health necessary for success and will have a positive effect in my college experience.