When’s the last time you walked just to walk?
As college students, we walk a lot — especially those of us who live on campus. Whether it’s a brisk walk to make it on time to the Lecture Hall or a casual stroll to get a bite after class, walking is a key part of life as a college student, but it’s almost always done out of necessity.
Lately, I’ve been making a conscious effort to get out and walk more. The warmer temperatures have made this easier, but I still try to find time every day to walk outside, no matter the weather. It doesn’t have to be a mile-long trek — carving out just a small portion of your day, whatever you can manage, is vastly beneficial as a college student.
But why? Diving into some philosophy can provide the answers we need.
Many philosophers emphasized the importance of walking. One of the most notable is Friedrich Nietzsche, who described walking six to eight hours a day to help manage his chronic illness. It was during those hours of walking that Nietzsche composed thoughts that he later put on paper. Now, I am not recommending we all try to follow in Nietzsche’s footsteps in this sense, but digging into why he walked so much is of great value.
In his book “Twilight of the Idols,” Nietzsche was critical of philosophers like Plato for separating the physical world from the world of the abstract, as creativity doesn’t just involve our minds but also our bodies. Specifically, Nietzsche emphasized that “all truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”
Nietzsche displayed similar wisdom in his final book, “Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is,” writing, “sit as little as possible; do not believe any idea that was not born in the open air and of free movement.” Thus, Nietzsche shows us that for our minds to reach their fullest potential, they must be in tune with our bodies. For college students, this means that there is a place for both intensive studying and movement. Without the latter, we are missing out on our fullest potential.
We may not be 19th-century philosophers, but next time we feel stuck on an assignment or get writer’s block while crafting an essay, going for a walk can help us get the creative boost we need. In fact, a 2014 Stanford study found that a person’s creative output increased by an average of 60 percent when walking. So next time you feel like you’re hitting a creative block, step away and go for a walk.
To further understand why we should make walking a habit, we can turn to another philosopher, Immanuel Kant, who similarly made it a point to walk every day, rain or shine. Developing this habit can help us build discipline, a skill essential to success as a college student. Increased discipline can help us effectively get our work done, be more determined to get up for our 8 a.m. alarms instead of hitting snooze and leave us with more time for extracurriculars and friends.
A daily walk is a relatively low-effort way to build discipline in our lives through a simple, customizable activity. You can go for a hilly hike in the nature preserve or a casual stroll on campus, listen to some music, a podcast or even just your own thoughts. Choosing to take time to walk intentionally can bring the same benefits these philosophers gained.
Another philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, can provide us with even more reasoning to walk. Kierkegaard once said, “Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday, I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. But by sitting still, and the more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill. Thus if one just keeps on walking, everything will be all right.”
Kierkegaard describes how walking promotes powerful effects on your health, a claim supported by science. Daily walking can help boost immune function, protecting you from illnesses that are always circulating on campus. It aids in getting better sleep, which is crucial for performing well and feeling energized throughout our busy days.
Equally as important, walking has many mental health benefits and can help to lower the risk and symptoms of depression and anxiety. A simple walk every day is a great investment for both your mental and physical health and is a routine that does not require intensive effort. This low-pressure activity may seem small, but its benefits add up to your well-being.
In our increasingly digitized world, it is easy to rely less on the wisdom of past philosophers and instead waste hours scrolling on social media. But with this technology also comes great power that can be used for good. Information is at the touch of our fingertips, ready to be accessed with a simple search. So, why not engage constructively with the ideas of philosophers? You can find great wisdom and values in things you never considered.
Dedicating a small portion of your day to walking seems simple, but it can improve your day-to-day life immensely. It can not only help you do better in the classroom, sparking creativity and building the discipline crucial to success, but it can also provide you with great health benefits, making your college experience more enjoyable.
So instead of doomscrolling between classes, take a walk. When you’re feeling overwhelmed with work, take a quick walk to give your brain a break. When you find yourself with a long chunk of free time, dedicate some of it to exploring a new part of campus. We can all find some extra time in our days to walk, so why not seize the opportunity?
Kayla Cloherty is a freshman majoring in history.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.