The Art of Walking: Why walks are a social event according to an 18-year-old college student

I feel like more and more people are moving from running to walking, and for all great reasons in my opinion. It is just so versatile. And after my first year in university, I had never walked as much as I did this year.

Just walking to class was so nice, as I felt like it made my body and brain feel ready for the day. I was forced to walk after pretty much every meal, even if it was just back to my dorm to lie down. And I found even after eating something that maybe was not the best thing for me, I would go to bed feeling fine just because I had moved a little after eating it.

I find that after coming home from college, I am always craving a walk. Not a five-mile speed walk, but just a five to ten to fifteen-minute stroll. But I did not want to write this just to talk about how good walking makes you feel, although it does. I thought about this because I was writing down some of the things I enjoy doing, one of which includes walking, and another is socializing and spending time with my friends. In doing this, I realized a walk-and-talk might be one of my favorite things. It is kind of like an if you know, you know type of thing.

At school, any time I called a friend or family member from home, I was walking while doing so. Anytime I want to go on a longer walk, not just to the dining hall or to class, I am never going by myself. An hour-long walk goes by so much more quickly with a close friend or family member, whether in person or over the phone. Even at home, my friends are always getting together to walk.

While we enjoy it for the exercise, I feel the brain juices that flow while you are walking are different than any other time.

“Stanford researchers found that walking boosts creative inspiration. They examined the creativity levels of people while they walked versus while they sat. A person’s creative output increased by an average of 60 percent when walking.” (Stanford)

I just decided to look this up, and clearly, I am not making a groundbreaking claim; this Stanford study shows that it is true.

The moments that really made me realize this were at college, when I would call my best friend Maddie from home, and we could be on the phone for hours on end, unpacking each part of our new lives. By the end of the call, I would be amazed at the number of things we had talked about that I had never thought of about life before. Not to be all floofy and philosophical, but it is just true.

So today, I am just inviting you to find a walk and talk buddy. Whether it is a family member, a long-time friend, a neighbor, or maybe just the voice memos app on your phone, listening to your brain dump of the day. Especially when everyone gets busy, it can feel difficult to have quality time with friends without distractions, and a walk has a funny way of fixing that.

I do not write this to say I am the first person to think of this idea, but as a reminder of how lovely it can be to slow down and catch up with a friend over a walk.

At Turnpaugh Health, we help people move from symptom management to root cause solutions, encouraging healthy habits like walking and socializing. Schedule an appointment and follow us on social media to learn more.

Colleen Turnpaugh

****This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and is not a substitute for a conversation with a qualified healthcare provider. Individual health needs vary. If you have questions about your health, we invite you to schedule a consultation with one of our providers.