"THESE DAYS, SOMETIMES WALKING IS OUR ONLY CHANCE TO ACTUALLY GO OUTSIDE. WE HAVE SCHOOL AND/OR WORK. WALKING PASSES TIME, IT’S GOOD FOR YOU MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY, AND IT’S SOLO TIME. "
--- BEE AHLERS, 10TH GRADE
Picture this: It’s a sunny afternoon, the sky is blue and no clouds are in the sky. I’m on a walk, thinking about life and listening to a new playlist while enjoying the view of San Francisco. I smile while I observe the different houses with bright colors and gardens with home-grown fruits and veggies. I’ve never felt more at peace with myself and the world.
But I didn’t always feel like this. During quarantine, a lot of people turned to walking as a coping mechanism. For me, the last thing I wanted to do was go outside, let alone exercise. My mom has always been a walker/runner, she would always encourage me to come with her but I would say no because I didn’t feel like it.
What helped me go outside was that I got a dog around the beginning of 2021, on one condition: I had to take him on a walk every day. Of course this seemed like nothing because I was excited about adding a new furry friend to our family. I stayed on top of the walks, starting with a fifteen-twenty minute walk with my headphones blaring my favorite songs. Then it turned into thirty minutes, then forty. As of now—when I have time—I will go on walks for as long as two hours. If I need alone time and time to think, I’ll go on a walk. If I want some time to talk to a friend, I’ll go on a walk. If I’m bored, I’ll go on a walk.
More people should be doing this. Based on an OSA student poll I conducted, many people at OSA play sports for their form of exercise. While this is still a good way to keep yourself healthy and active, something a simple as walk is proven to prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes, improve cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your bones and muscles, reduce stress and tension, and many other things you can find out about here. And those are just some of the physical benefits. WebMD adds that “walking regularly can help ease symptoms related to chronic mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.”
This is backed up by a few of the responses, such as this 8th grader, who answers the question “What’s your opinion on going on a walk?” with “I like going on walks. they are pretty peaceful + it’s nice when you can listen to music or an audiobook.” and another said, “I like it because it is refreshing to be outside and take a nice walk.”
These days, sometimes walking is our only chance to actually go outside. We have school and/or work. Walking passes time, it’s good for you mentally and physically, and it’s solo time. Taking care of your mind and your body. You can start small and slow with walks, just like how you work your way up to how long you run for at a time or how many pounds you lift at the gym. Go at your own pace, there’s no rush. You can build up strength, stamina, and endurance just by going on a twenty minute walk each day. Try it out! What’s stopping you from potentially finding your new favorite hobby: Walking!
But I didn’t always feel like this. During quarantine, a lot of people turned to walking as a coping mechanism. For me, the last thing I wanted to do was go outside, let alone exercise. My mom has always been a walker/runner, she would always encourage me to come with her but I would say no because I didn’t feel like it.
What helped me go outside was that I got a dog around the beginning of 2021, on one condition: I had to take him on a walk every day. Of course this seemed like nothing because I was excited about adding a new furry friend to our family. I stayed on top of the walks, starting with a fifteen-twenty minute walk with my headphones blaring my favorite songs. Then it turned into thirty minutes, then forty. As of now—when I have time—I will go on walks for as long as two hours. If I need alone time and time to think, I’ll go on a walk. If I want some time to talk to a friend, I’ll go on a walk. If I’m bored, I’ll go on a walk.
More people should be doing this. Based on an OSA student poll I conducted, many people at OSA play sports for their form of exercise. While this is still a good way to keep yourself healthy and active, something a simple as walk is proven to prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes, improve cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your bones and muscles, reduce stress and tension, and many other things you can find out about here. And those are just some of the physical benefits. WebMD adds that “walking regularly can help ease symptoms related to chronic mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.”
This is backed up by a few of the responses, such as this 8th grader, who answers the question “What’s your opinion on going on a walk?” with “I like going on walks. they are pretty peaceful + it’s nice when you can listen to music or an audiobook.” and another said, “I like it because it is refreshing to be outside and take a nice walk.”
These days, sometimes walking is our only chance to actually go outside. We have school and/or work. Walking passes time, it’s good for you mentally and physically, and it’s solo time. Taking care of your mind and your body. You can start small and slow with walks, just like how you work your way up to how long you run for at a time or how many pounds you lift at the gym. Go at your own pace, there’s no rush. You can build up strength, stamina, and endurance just by going on a twenty minute walk each day. Try it out! What’s stopping you from potentially finding your new favorite hobby: Walking!
