As I'm heading off to graduate school soon, I was wondering if others might share their experiences of keeping fit while in grad school. I'm going to be taking on a major courseload and research load in the next few years. In everyone's experience--could you make it out to the gym with some regularity? Go for runs or swimming? Was it easier to get some free weights and work out at home or was a trip to the gym a relaxing and mind-clearing experience?
Thanks! This issue is important to me--my family has a history of heart conditions and I've made sure to maintain a fit, active, and healthy lifestyle for my future well-being. I really hope I can keep it up to some degree in grad school.
Three cheers for JockNerd. I was starting to get the impression that the only exercise any of the SDN Psychology people got reaching over and picking up their copies of the DSM (correction - RayneeDeigh adds to this by picking up the DSM with her sock puppet, which raises the philosophical question: Is RayneeDeigh expending the energy or is the sock puppet?)!
Actually, as a graduate student you should have complete access to your school's gym and many Univeristies have first rate gyms which are much cheaper than any commercial gyms!
Some people are very good at reading while using exercise machines. However, I think execise should be a time of its own. Keeping physically fit generally has benefits in other areas of life including academic work (This must already be a study. Therapist4Chng will provide the citations!
). You may not have quite as much time as you would like to exercise but just make sure you keep to a regular schedule. There are always some Olympic athletes who are in graduate school, so what excuse do any of you have not to exercise just a little.
Also, do not forget the benefits of simple walking and taking stairs. Too many people I observe drive when they are just going around the corner and take elevators when they are only going a few flights up. You could even get a dog in which case you force yourself to go for walks.
Oh I just thought of the stereotype grad student riding a bike to class. You even save on gas!
Of course, if you really want to kiss up to your advisor you can find out if he/she exercise and try to run into (no crashes aloud
) or join him/her while exercising.
Finally, if you are a graduate student in New York City you have to get a pair of running shoes and hit Central Park (roller blades are a second best). You may even find yourself running for your life! "Is it safe? Is it safe?" - one of you SDN peychology nerds must know this reference.
