Playing sports is one of the best activities you can do in your spare time as a university or college student! From joining a sports club or participating in a weekly drop-in, many post-secondary schools have weekly sports activities that you can join!
But what are the benefits of playing sports as a student? It's already tough managing school, work, and a social life, how could you possibly fit something else into your busy schedule, and better yet, why would you want to? Keep reading for our list of reasons why sports are a worthwhile activity for college and university students!
If you’ve ever seen a movie about someone going to college or university then you probably thought that you’d make some lifelong friends the first time you stepped on campus. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic shutting down campuses and transitioning everything online, a lot of students missed out on the friend-building experience. While online friends can be a great support system, nothing beats a group of friends that you can go anywhere or do anything with. Luckily, playing sports provides you with the perfect opportunity to meet such friends.
Sports naturally bring people together and bring people closer. There's a special kind of bond with the people you play sports with. You become unified with the people you play with by striving to achieve a common goal. You help push each other when training and striving to become better.
As you play more with the same people, you are bound to communicate with them, making it easier to become friends outside of the game. In short, sports are one of the best ways to meet new people and create new friendships!
With exams, projects, work, bills, and social pressures, students these days are under more stress than ever before. Not only do you need to worry about acing your exams, but you need to make sure your groupmates aren’t using AI to write your term project, all while working to pay your rent. Being a student nowadays is tough, and the struggle is real.
Fortunately, sports are a great way to relieve stress, and that's not a myth! Exercising pumps up your endorphins, which are the feel-good neurotransmitters in your brain that relieve pain and reduce stress. It's also an opportunity to socialize and just have fun with the people around you.
After some physical activity, your brain also becomes more sharp and focused. According to this article, studies show that athletes can drown out noise in their brains to focus better, making them able to process things better. If you’ve got a million things on the go, then having some calm might just help you get organized and on track. If you’re stressed out with life, go for a jog, ride your bike around campus, play some volleyball at a local facility, and stay active to give your brain a reset.
Playing sports is one of the best ways to improve your physical health. Some of the benefits include improved heart function, reduced risk of diabetes, & controlling blood sugar levels. Going to the gym is a great way to stay active, but playing a sport allows you to do something you truly enjoy while reaping the same health benefits. A lot of campuses have facilities where students can play sports like badminton, volleyball, or basketball, why not hit the courts instead of hitting the treadmill to get your cardio in!
It's no surprise that playing sports will improve your physical health, but did you know that sports can also improve your mental health as well. According to this article, evidence suggests that increasing physical activity can improve academic performance. Relating back to stress, staying active gives your brain time to take a break from all the things in life that drive you crazy. Not only does staying active help you work out all your frustrations but it also tires you out, meaning you’ll get more sleep, which is great for mental health and academic performance.
Sports have the power to bring various types of people together. Whether you're playing a game on the court or talking about your favourite team, sports are a way for people to unite together. Some may even call sports a "universal language".Sports create a common ground for you to talk about, and the love and passion for the game is what creates this sense of community that's hard to find elsewhere.
.png)
