By Connor Hawthorne, Sports Editor
Despite the disappointing absence of any snow, winter is in full swing, and as River Hill rapidly rushes towards midterms and the end of the first semester, students are finding it harder than ever to stay active and exercise. As temperatures and daylight remain low, many students are struggling to find time to exercise and maintain their fitness, a critical issue, especially during this stressful period of the school year, as physical activity is correlated with mental health.
The cold plays a major part. Students who play outdoor sports like baseball, outdoor track, and lacrosse find that their practices will not resume until March due to low temperatures. Additionally, it is much harder to exercise outside during the winter. Junior Marcus Hadeed urges students to “layer up so you will hate it less.” Many students share Marcus’ view and exercise by wearing lots of layers in order to work out. Junior Quinlan Ballou explains how “I’ve been running in the morning; you just need to make sure to put on enough layers.” Although commendable, this may require more effort than most students are willing to put in.
Another option for exercising during the winter is to go to the gym, where the warmer temperatures produce an alluring environment compared to the frigid outdoors. Once school ends, countless students flock to the nearby Columbia gym to lift weights, swim, or run on treadmills. Evan Trost, a junior, echoes this sentiment and explains, “The gym is an easier alternative to running outside.” Evan, in particular, enjoys getting his cardio in by “going on a bike or treadmill at the gym.”
One reason so many students find it difficult to stay active in the winter is due to the decreased daylight, leaving less time for exercising during the day. Marcus believes that “You can’t work out without daylight; you just need daylight to survive.” At least for Marcus, this severely limits the time frame available for exercise. Evan builds upon this with a more practical reason, explaining that “sometimes it’s unsafe to run or exercise when it’s dark outside.”
Many students have a variety of advice for students looking to stay active in the winter. Although it may be tough, it is certainly possible for any student to stay active during the winter months. All it takes is hard work and determination. Evan maintains a realistic approach to staying active, offering to “work on your schedule with a reinforcement schedule that eventually shapes your behavior.” Exercising in the winter is not only possible, but it should be a priority for all students since staying active during the winter will help immensely with both your physical and mental health along with your attitude.