By Autumn Farrell, Staff Writer, Emerson College
For most of my high school career, I was a dancer. Hands down. I wore sweats and loose shirts to school so I wouldn't take too long in the dressing room. I stopped trying to straighten my hair every morning and let it grow out, easier to put up in a bun so it wouldn't whip me in the face when I practiced pirouettes. My body became an extension of the dance floor, my feet roots that anchored me to the rubbery padding and allowed me to perform with power and grace. Staying after school with my dance company for hours, dripping with sweat and a sense of accomplishment quickly became my favorite past time. Evidently, it was my body's favorite past time as well. I became toned, lean, and confident, beginning to exhibit that dancer's walk we are famed for: back straight, chin up, feet turned out slightly. My acne, which had so long been a struggle for me, seemed to disappear overnight. My frequent bouts of anxiety and occasional panic attacks vanished. I was at an athletic high point, which I took for granted when I quit dance senior year to focus on writing.
Over the course of 12th grade, I gained back double the weight I had lost while dancing. My acne returned with a vengeance. My self-esteem plummeted to an all-time low, and as a result, I cut off my hair in a moment of sadness. I didn't even want to look in the mirror anymore. Worst of all, my battle with anxiety resumed, and I spent senior year flooding my body with stress and fatigue. My first semester at Emerson wasn't much better. With the lifestyle change and culture shock of moving from my home in the Southwest to the East Coast, my physical state plummeted along with the rest of my emotional stability. In class one day during a presentation, after a stressful all-nighter I had pulled to prepare, I was hit with a panic attack. Hard. Standing in front of the class, I lost the ability to breathe. My hands became so numb I was unable to move them. My vision grew black. My ears were ringing. I was shaking from head to toe. Rushing back to my dorm after that nightmare, I vowed to make a change. I never wanted to experience something like that again. So, over the course of winter break, I developed a plan to cleanse and heal the physical and emotional toxins that had seeped into my life. A huge part of that plan involved what I like to call joyful movement.
I would like to begin by defining movement in a way that doesn’t immediately put people off. The flaw that I find with most exercise articles is that they are often geared towards people who are already active and have a strong motive to remain fit. Even less often are they writing for a college audience. Many college students, even if they were fit in high school, will no longer have the resources in this new environment to develop a daily routine to strengthen and fortify them (as it is the things you do every day that make a difference). For these reasons I’ve come to find a different approach to the way I think about movement, which has physically and emotionally helped me live my everyday life. First, I like to add the word joyful before movement. This helps my mind understand it in another, much more loving way, and helps to prevent any fearful thinking that may dissuade me from staying active. The best way I can describe joyful movement is by using the example of small children. Notice how little kids play freely and happily with one another. They allow themselves to move and explore and dance with no inhibitions. As we grew we lose the lust to romp with our bodies, often trying to replace our memories of recess with more “adult” ways of “exercising.”
The problem with these adult exercises is that they often lack the necessary ingredient - which is joy! Without joy, you receive none of the emotional benefits movement can bring you. Yes, perhaps you will become physically fit, but even that becomes questionable when you remove the feeling of happy liveliness: if you aren’t enjoying yourself when you exercise, why would you continue to do it daily? Many college students may try the gym, but find it intimidating, monotonous, or pointless. You may find yourself saying you’re going to run every morning, but if you don’t like running, of course you can’t trust yourself to keep that promise. The key ingredient to joyful movement is the feeling that you are indulging in something that makes you smile. Even as a former athlete myself, college is a whole new territory that requires new rules. Exercise (which is a word I try to avoid, as I feel it carries a negative connotation) is no exception. Unless you are a person that is thrilled by the gym, loves running every day, or plays a sport that you fully enjoy (all completely possible and legitimate forms of joyful movement), this article will hopefully guide you in integrating activity into your emotional and physical wellbeing.
To understand why we must move daily, we also must understand why activity is so important. It’s not that sitting all day isn’t a valid way to be living a college life. In fact, it’s no surprise to me that most students sit for a good portion of the day. Our time is taken up by doing homework (most often on the computer or at a desk), chatting with friends and family (usually on a computer), watching TV, playing video games, and attending school... at a desk. Even our jobs mainly consist of sitting behind a desk or standing in one place for hours at a counter. On top of that, our diets experience a massive overhaul, and the chemistry of our bodies has to combat different toxins along with stress. It’s no wonder so many college students experience depression or anxiety that they may have never felt at home. Movement is an integral part of keeping you physically healthy - and, most importantly, emotionally healthy. If you don’t come to a certain visceral peace within yourself, you can’t expect your mental state to be a healthy one. This is my attempt at changing your idea of practicing daily movement to make you FEEL better. Your goal is not to lose weight, clear up your skin, etc. Your goal is to make an emotional difference, which will in turn cause your physical body to reflect the joy you create within you.
The logistics of finding joyful movement in an average college student’s life is often the biggest roadblock. The most important thing that I’ve come to understand is not to limit myself in seeking activity. You first must learn what gets your blood pumping and your mind buzzing with happiness or serenity. This is the most difficult step to take, especially for people who have never established a kind of exercise routine or whose only memories of activity are horrific PE classes. Don’t let this stop you. Trust the universe to bring movement to you. I have a set yoga routine that I do every single day, without fail. Yoga is a really wonderful thing that anyone can implement into their lives. People tend to think of yoga as something only really flexible and fit professionals can do. This is completely untrue! What I love so much about yoga is that it is really for anyone. It’s about establishing a constant practice of motion and breathing into your body that calms your mind and rouses your nervous system. Flexibility will come eventually, but until then, you work towards it; you only move into the available space given to you by your muscles. It doesn’t have to be an incredibly difficult and tiring exercise until you want it to be. There is a multitude of free yoga videos online, ranging from advanced classes with yogi masters to beginners stretches to get you started. Personally, I love Tara Stiles. She is a gentle and knowledgeable teacher who does not push past comfort zones in her videos. She also makes videos concerning other health issues, if they ever interest you. This is my daily movement. Yoga makes me smile and I can do it in my room with my computer perched on a chair. If you want to do it at the gym, you can convert the videos to MP3 audio files and listen to them on your iPod.
Try to find something you will do every single day. This can be anything, as long as it gets you out of your chair and gets your heart working even a little. Walking is always a good suggestion for college students. You can have a set route you take every day or mix it up each time you step outside; it’s up to you. If the weather is intense that day, treadmills are on option (though personally I’m not a fan). If you like dancing, find a dance workout video online. It doesn’t have to be exceptionally challenging or long. You just need to find that one thing you know you will do every day.
After you have established a routine, begin taking small opportunities for movement. Stand instead of sit. Listen to music in your alone time and groove out. Walk instead of taking the T. If you have to sit for an extended period of time, take five minute walking breaks every hour. Shake your legs or cross them. Wiggle your body back and forth in your chair. Go to more dance parties. Explore Boston on the weekends. If your friends want to go out and play in the snow, play with them. If you’re feeling adventurous one day, try a really hard workout! What’s nice about having a joyful movement routine is you can try something that may push you and tire you out once in a while without the dread of doing it every day. You may even find you like it more than what you’re currently practicing and make that your routine instead. Just try to give your body opportunities to do what it does best: move. It may be a bit difficult at first but eventually you will find activities that you enjoy more than others and favor them. Remain hopeful! If you are asking, what if I have barely exercised in my life? This is absolutely perfect for you! This isn’t about exercising. This is about allowing your body to serve its purpose and bringing you closer to enjoying and loving your health and your strength. Show gratitude for whatever physical or mental state you are in now, in this moment, by giving it room to grow. Your body is made by the image your mind creates for it. By caring for your thoughts, you are caring deeply for your body.
Autumn Farrell is a short, tea-loving Latina who hails from the poetry, theater, and dance scene in Phoenix, Arizona. She has a stash of horrible smelling herbs in her underwear drawer and is probably the biggest fan of ironic swag rap you will ever meet. If this Gemini can talk to you about astrology she will follow you for the rest of your life. Before she dies she wants to be a famous pole dancer and educate millions on the importance of spiritual wellbeing.
For most of my high school career, I was a dancer. Hands down. I wore sweats and loose shirts to school so I wouldn't take too long in the dressing room. I stopped trying to straighten my hair every morning and let it grow out, easier to put up in a bun so it wouldn't whip me in the face when I practiced pirouettes. My body became an extension of the dance floor, my feet roots that anchored me to the rubbery padding and allowed me to perform with power and grace. Staying after school with my dance company for hours, dripping with sweat and a sense of accomplishment quickly became my favorite past time. Evidently, it was my body's favorite past time as well. I became toned, lean, and confident, beginning to exhibit that dancer's walk we are famed for: back straight, chin up, feet turned out slightly. My acne, which had so long been a struggle for me, seemed to disappear overnight. My frequent bouts of anxiety and occasional panic attacks vanished. I was at an athletic high point, which I took for granted when I quit dance senior year to focus on writing.
Over the course of 12th grade, I gained back double the weight I had lost while dancing. My acne returned with a vengeance. My self-esteem plummeted to an all-time low, and as a result, I cut off my hair in a moment of sadness. I didn't even want to look in the mirror anymore. Worst of all, my battle with anxiety resumed, and I spent senior year flooding my body with stress and fatigue. My first semester at Emerson wasn't much better. With the lifestyle change and culture shock of moving from my home in the Southwest to the East Coast, my physical state plummeted along with the rest of my emotional stability. In class one day during a presentation, after a stressful all-nighter I had pulled to prepare, I was hit with a panic attack. Hard. Standing in front of the class, I lost the ability to breathe. My hands became so numb I was unable to move them. My vision grew black. My ears were ringing. I was shaking from head to toe. Rushing back to my dorm after that nightmare, I vowed to make a change. I never wanted to experience something like that again. So, over the course of winter break, I developed a plan to cleanse and heal the physical and emotional toxins that had seeped into my life. A huge part of that plan involved what I like to call joyful movement.
I would like to begin by defining movement in a way that doesn’t immediately put people off. The flaw that I find with most exercise articles is that they are often geared towards people who are already active and have a strong motive to remain fit. Even less often are they writing for a college audience. Many college students, even if they were fit in high school, will no longer have the resources in this new environment to develop a daily routine to strengthen and fortify them (as it is the things you do every day that make a difference). For these reasons I’ve come to find a different approach to the way I think about movement, which has physically and emotionally helped me live my everyday life. First, I like to add the word joyful before movement. This helps my mind understand it in another, much more loving way, and helps to prevent any fearful thinking that may dissuade me from staying active. The best way I can describe joyful movement is by using the example of small children. Notice how little kids play freely and happily with one another. They allow themselves to move and explore and dance with no inhibitions. As we grew we lose the lust to romp with our bodies, often trying to replace our memories of recess with more “adult” ways of “exercising.”
The problem with these adult exercises is that they often lack the necessary ingredient - which is joy! Without joy, you receive none of the emotional benefits movement can bring you. Yes, perhaps you will become physically fit, but even that becomes questionable when you remove the feeling of happy liveliness: if you aren’t enjoying yourself when you exercise, why would you continue to do it daily? Many college students may try the gym, but find it intimidating, monotonous, or pointless. You may find yourself saying you’re going to run every morning, but if you don’t like running, of course you can’t trust yourself to keep that promise. The key ingredient to joyful movement is the feeling that you are indulging in something that makes you smile. Even as a former athlete myself, college is a whole new territory that requires new rules. Exercise (which is a word I try to avoid, as I feel it carries a negative connotation) is no exception. Unless you are a person that is thrilled by the gym, loves running every day, or plays a sport that you fully enjoy (all completely possible and legitimate forms of joyful movement), this article will hopefully guide you in integrating activity into your emotional and physical wellbeing.
To understand why we must move daily, we also must understand why activity is so important. It’s not that sitting all day isn’t a valid way to be living a college life. In fact, it’s no surprise to me that most students sit for a good portion of the day. Our time is taken up by doing homework (most often on the computer or at a desk), chatting with friends and family (usually on a computer), watching TV, playing video games, and attending school... at a desk. Even our jobs mainly consist of sitting behind a desk or standing in one place for hours at a counter. On top of that, our diets experience a massive overhaul, and the chemistry of our bodies has to combat different toxins along with stress. It’s no wonder so many college students experience depression or anxiety that they may have never felt at home. Movement is an integral part of keeping you physically healthy - and, most importantly, emotionally healthy. If you don’t come to a certain visceral peace within yourself, you can’t expect your mental state to be a healthy one. This is my attempt at changing your idea of practicing daily movement to make you FEEL better. Your goal is not to lose weight, clear up your skin, etc. Your goal is to make an emotional difference, which will in turn cause your physical body to reflect the joy you create within you.
The logistics of finding joyful movement in an average college student’s life is often the biggest roadblock. The most important thing that I’ve come to understand is not to limit myself in seeking activity. You first must learn what gets your blood pumping and your mind buzzing with happiness or serenity. This is the most difficult step to take, especially for people who have never established a kind of exercise routine or whose only memories of activity are horrific PE classes. Don’t let this stop you. Trust the universe to bring movement to you. I have a set yoga routine that I do every single day, without fail. Yoga is a really wonderful thing that anyone can implement into their lives. People tend to think of yoga as something only really flexible and fit professionals can do. This is completely untrue! What I love so much about yoga is that it is really for anyone. It’s about establishing a constant practice of motion and breathing into your body that calms your mind and rouses your nervous system. Flexibility will come eventually, but until then, you work towards it; you only move into the available space given to you by your muscles. It doesn’t have to be an incredibly difficult and tiring exercise until you want it to be. There is a multitude of free yoga videos online, ranging from advanced classes with yogi masters to beginners stretches to get you started. Personally, I love Tara Stiles. She is a gentle and knowledgeable teacher who does not push past comfort zones in her videos. She also makes videos concerning other health issues, if they ever interest you. This is my daily movement. Yoga makes me smile and I can do it in my room with my computer perched on a chair. If you want to do it at the gym, you can convert the videos to MP3 audio files and listen to them on your iPod.
Try to find something you will do every single day. This can be anything, as long as it gets you out of your chair and gets your heart working even a little. Walking is always a good suggestion for college students. You can have a set route you take every day or mix it up each time you step outside; it’s up to you. If the weather is intense that day, treadmills are on option (though personally I’m not a fan). If you like dancing, find a dance workout video online. It doesn’t have to be exceptionally challenging or long. You just need to find that one thing you know you will do every day.
After you have established a routine, begin taking small opportunities for movement. Stand instead of sit. Listen to music in your alone time and groove out. Walk instead of taking the T. If you have to sit for an extended period of time, take five minute walking breaks every hour. Shake your legs or cross them. Wiggle your body back and forth in your chair. Go to more dance parties. Explore Boston on the weekends. If your friends want to go out and play in the snow, play with them. If you’re feeling adventurous one day, try a really hard workout! What’s nice about having a joyful movement routine is you can try something that may push you and tire you out once in a while without the dread of doing it every day. You may even find you like it more than what you’re currently practicing and make that your routine instead. Just try to give your body opportunities to do what it does best: move. It may be a bit difficult at first but eventually you will find activities that you enjoy more than others and favor them. Remain hopeful! If you are asking, what if I have barely exercised in my life? This is absolutely perfect for you! This isn’t about exercising. This is about allowing your body to serve its purpose and bringing you closer to enjoying and loving your health and your strength. Show gratitude for whatever physical or mental state you are in now, in this moment, by giving it room to grow. Your body is made by the image your mind creates for it. By caring for your thoughts, you are caring deeply for your body.
Autumn Farrell is a short, tea-loving Latina who hails from the poetry, theater, and dance scene in Phoenix, Arizona. She has a stash of horrible smelling herbs in her underwear drawer and is probably the biggest fan of ironic swag rap you will ever meet. If this Gemini can talk to you about astrology she will follow you for the rest of your life. Before she dies she wants to be a famous pole dancer and educate millions on the importance of spiritual wellbeing.