Congratulations! You’ve made it through another (or your first) semester at UC.  That’s a huge milestone, and one you should be proud of and celebrate. Once you’re done celebrating, it’s also an excellent time to reflect and reset.

Stop, breathe and reflect

Reflection is more than just daydreaming.  It’s intentional exercise to think back on your experiences, analysing them and learning from them. Thinking back on your first semester and try answering these questions (writing it down helps!)

• Describe it, with as much detail as you like
• What went really well for me?
• How did I feel?  And why?
• What could I have done differently?
• What could I DO differently next time?

You can bundle up the whole experience, or you could break it down into different parts like…

• Study schedule – how did you approach it?  Was it rigid, flexible, with study buddies, solo, chip away every day or rushed last minute assignments?
• Social life – was it balanced? Did you stay connected or disappear into the ether at crunch time?  Staying socially connected is critical to wellbeing, even if it’s showing up to study groups to chat in the breaks.
• Physical wellbeing – were you active?  Too much, too little, just right? How did you sleep?  How about your nutrition? Did you drink enough water?

Just remember, small changes over time bring good rewards and most importantly, they are more likely to stick. Increasing your fruit or veggie serve by 1 each day means you’ve now had 7 extra serves of veggies that week. That’s a win.

So, stop for a moment to reflect on your first semester, and set some intentions for the next. You will thank yourself for it!

Ngā mihi
Te Ratonga Hākinakina | UC Rec&Sport (UC RecCentre)

Got your gym membership sorted?  It’s student levy funded, so you don’t have to pay anything more. Sign up online now!

It’s tempting to sit and study all day, every day when the pressure of exams looms.  But did you know that taking regular exercise will help boost your brain power?  Here’s why:

Improve memory and learning

Exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory.  It can also stimulate new brain cell growth and the connections between them.

Sharper thinking and focus

Exercise can improve cognitive function, including executive function, which is responsible for planning, decision making and multi-tasking.   So, if you’re feeling a bit brain fogged, stop for a moment and take a little 10min exercise break to refresh the brain.

Check out the Cleveland Clinic website if you want to get a great introduction to the science of exercise and brain health.

Better mood

Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects that can help combat depression, stress and anxiety.

Check out HelpGuide.org  for tips and tools for all thing mental health and wellbeing, including exercise.

How much do you need to exercise?

For mental health and brain function, it’s recommended to get at least 75mins of vigorous activity across a week – so getting your puff on!  The good news is it doesn’t have to be all at once.  So, simple math says 10mins a day of vigorous activity will have an impact on how you think and feel.     Here’s some easy things to try in different study environments:

Stairs Study Break – if you’re in a campus building with a good set of stairs, get up and take a walk!   An easy way to get the heart rate up into the puff zone in just 10 minutes

• Calisthenics EMOM– simply put, body weight exercises.   Try an EMOM (every minute on the minute) of 10 squats, 10 press-ups, 10 sit-ups and 10 burpees in 1minute.   Any time left over at you get to rest.  Then repeat four more times, for a total of 5mins.   This one is probably best at home!

All sound a bit too vigorous?

Totally cool – you’ll still get benefit from lower intensity exercise.

• Take a walk to refill your water bottle
• Stand up and do some stretching – ensure you change your environment and step away from the study zone for at least 5mins every hour.

Don’t forget – as a UC Student, you have a free RecCentre membership and access the Rec&Sport app, which has loads of at home activities to try.   This is funded by your study levy, so there’s nothing to lose!  Sign up today (there’s not cost) and start moving!

Ngā mihi
Te Ratonga Hākinakina | UC Rec&Sport