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You bend down to tie your shoelaces into double knots. With your heartbeat pounding in your temples, you hear assignment deadlines approaching. By stepping on the white line of the court, you open your chest and breathe in, narrowing your focus on the dynamic flow of your team’s half-moon formation. You watch the ball roll toward the goal, seemingly in slow motion. In the muffled noise of cheering teammates, you are in the here and now.

The journey through university can be both exciting and challenging. As students navigate academic pursuits, maintaining mental and physical health becomes crucial for success. It takes time, patience and planning to establish a flow—a routine between school, social life and at times, work and personal time.

These day-to-day adjustments are not something students typically prepare for, and it takes living through the university experience to adapt and create new habits.

At the University of New Brunswick (UNB), physical activity can mean different things. Whether joining intramural teams, taking an hour for a badminton session at the Richard J. CURRIE CENTER or gliding on ice at the Aitken Centre open skating session, students can be creative about how they incorporate exercise into their routines. For some, joining local recreational teams such as Women’s Soccer for Fun is a joyful way to be more physically engaged.

But what is a habit, and how can we create new ones?

Health psychologist Dr. Stephan Dombrowski has been an associate professor in the faculty of kinesiology on the UNB Fredericton campus since 2018. He is interested in supporting people to improve their physical and mental health.

Dombrowski describes a habit as a neuronal connection in the brain, where a context such as a specific time or place is linked to action, like going for a walk.

“When a habit is formed, the information typically remains in the brain for a long time, even when dormant. We can override unwanted habits such as excessive screentime and create and reactivate new or previous habits of physical activity.”

It can be challenging for students with busy schedules to commit to exercise when the anxiety of academic productivity is creeping around the corner.

Dombrowski suggests starting with micro-goals.

“Often, we have high standards for physical activity,” he said.

We end up putting it aside because we feel as though we don’t have enough time or energy. One of the things that really helps is breaking it down. You could set yourself a goal of walking 10 minutes a day and doing it consistently over time. When you make a small exercise or activity part of your daily routine, you make it a habit.”

Dombrowski said students shouldn’t worry about having stopped exercising and losing their progress or skills.

“It’s normal to have different phases in life that change your relationship to physical activity. If you have done something in the past, reflect on your previous success and believe in your capability. After overcoming this initial barrier of getting started, muscle memory will kick in. Trust your body. It remembers what to do,” he said.

Beyond having fun, there are real benefits to following these micro-goals of movement.

“Outcomes range from improved mood, alertness, dopamine and endorphin boosts,” said Dombrowski.

“Students have reported having a daily feel-good with activity micro-goals. They can also see their improvement in length and engagement with exercise, which builds self-esteem and a sense of success. This habitual cycle leads to increased confidence in other areas of their life. There is power in daily small things.”

Simran Dadhich (MCS’24), audio-visual assistant at the Centre for Enhanced Teaching and Learning (CETL), joined Women’s Soccer For Fun, a local recreational women’s soccer team, popular among UNB students, to incorporate physical activity into her routine.

“I never thought I would play soccer, let alone enjoy it. When I started playing, it was difficult at first. I felt that I couldn’t run for long periods. Later, with practice, it became more fun. Now I love playing soccer,” she said.

Gemmie Wesley Motuba Maenow is a master’s student in mechanical engineering in geomatics and geodesy at UNB.

Her courses are demanding, and she struggled with moving away from her family and the isolation that followed.

“As a soccer fan, being part of a team like Women’s Soccer for Fun is a dream come true. The sport has played a major role in improving my physical and mental well-being. I got to meet and play with wonderful people. This makes me look forward to practi sing every week. It influenced me to improve other areas in my life too,” said Wesley Motuba Maenow.

“I try to make time for soccer every week consistently,” said Dadhich. “It helps me to feel motivated. It’s that one hour to enjoy for myself.”

True self-care may require patience and self-compassion, and adhering to the habit may not feel great at first, but leaning into the challenge can improve students' quality of life.

Some enjoy functional and emotional support through socialized physical activity, while others prefer to follow their own schedules. The most important thing is to nurture small daily habits.

How will you implement movement into your routine?

See Reds Rec for information on campus-related physical activity opportunities. For more information on the Women’s Soccer for Fun team, follow them on Facebook or Instagram.