³ÉÈË´óƬ

The sweltering weather back home didn’t make walking any fun. On a hot afternoon, you probably wouldn’t make it 500m from your house without feeling some sweat trickle down your back. 

I guess that’s why I was never a fan of walking for fun unless it’s within an air-conditioned mall. I also had the privilege of driving my car whenever I needed to get somewhere so that definitely turned me away from walking but ever since coming to Australia, I’ve been walking a lot more – and for fun, too, can you believe it? Here is why walking is good for my mental wellbeing....

It’s undoubted that walking is good for your physical health. I read somewhere that walking briskly could be more effective than working out which is why I prefer walking than going to the gym. I’m just not ready to commit to that gym life, you know? With walking, I can sort of do it whenever I want to and it feels less structured than a workout routine. Plus, it’s free (that’s always a score when you’re a uni student)! Walking also helps build my stamina so I won’t be wheezing and clutching my chest when I get to the third floor of Liggy for my lectures.

But the main reason I go for walks is to clear my mind. I’ve noticed that when my brain is going a mile a second, being indoors can make me feel a bit trapped – it’s like my walls are closing in on me and the room becomes smaller and smaller. So, I put on my Converse (Yes, I’ve been procrastinating my trip to Spendless Shoes but I’ll buy a proper pair soon) and head towards the park nearby. Walking and being surrounded by the greenery gives me some time to properly reflect on what’s been messing with my head lately and rationalise my thoughts. Not only that but walking also serves as a healthy distraction when I need some time off my desk and laptop. It’s good to swap your view from Google Docs to dogs running around the vast field from time to time.  

I urge you to give walking a try. You don’t have to wait until you’re stressed out to do it. Do it when you’re bored, do it while you’re waiting for your banana bread to finish baking, do it when you have a mental block and need some inspo. TIP: Put on classical music while you walk so you feel like the main character in a period drama who’s walking home from the ball after dancing with the prince.