Study Hack: Train Your Body, Charge Your Brain

The first year of university or college is exciting. New friends. New freedoms. A new version of yourself taking shape.

It can also be a lot.

For many students, it’s the first time you’re managing your own schedule. The freedom is powerful, but it can feel overwhelming. It’s no surprise that many first-year students struggle to find their footing academically, socially, and emotionally.

When the pressure builds, it often shows up in destructive habits like late-night snacking or skipping meals and then overeating, inconsistent sleep, missing lectures and deadlines. Days feel reactive instead of intentional. You start out feeling in control but, somewhere along the line, things start to feel messy.

Jenna Rivera, Head of Marketing at Planet Fitness, believes that training is one of the most underestimated coping mechanisms that students have: “Training isn’t just about conditioning your body. It’s about creating an anchor in your day. When everything feels new and uncertain, showing up for yourself becomes something you can hold on to.”

When you train consistently you’re not only building physical strength and stamina, you’re also practising discipline. You’re keeping a promise to yourself. And this mindset spills over into your lectures and assignments, preparing for exams, looking after yourself, and how you handle stress in general.

“There’s something powerful about doing hard things on purpose,” Jenna explains. “When you push through one more rep, or even just do a gentle yoga or stretch session when you don’t feel like it, you build resilience that spills over into all aspects of your life.”

Research consistently shows that regular movement supports concentration, memory, and mood regulation, all of which are essential for succeeding in your studies. But beyond the science, there’s a lived experience: mental clarity and stability, and a calmer response to pressure.

Training also brings rhythm to your days. Having a non-negotiable calendar appointment with yourself creates structure. Structure, in turn, builds momentum. And long-lasting healthy habits are founded on momentum.

Then there’s the community element; that sense of belonging that can be difficult to create when you’re one person among thousands of strangers.

Joining a training space where other people are also working toward goals shifts your energy. You’re suddenly surrounded by people who’re choosing growth. Group sessions and shared challenges, even offering to ‘spot’ someone whose face you recognise but whose name you don’t yet know, turn training into connection.

Most importantly, training isn’t about adding more pressure to a schedule that’s already jam-packed. It’s about being able to handle what’s on your plate with more grace and less panic.

“Your first year can shape more than your journey to your qualification,” Jenna says. “If you’re intentional about where you focus your energy, it can also shape your habits. If you choose to take care of your body and mind now, you’re building a foundation that’ll support you throughout your studies and into the working world.”

Training regularly won’t remove every stressor, and it doesn’t guarantee academic success if you don’t also put in the study hours. But, it can steady you and nurture your overall wellbeing. It can remind you that you’re capable of more than you think. And that, says Jenna, is the ultimate study hack.

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Author: Nhlalenhle Dlangalala from ByDesign Communications on behalf of Planet Fitness.