It’s December at the University of Manchester, and we all know what that means—pitch-black skies by 3 PM, temperatures that make you question why you ever left bed, and the undeniable temptation to classify lectures as “optional.” But before you commit to hibernation mode, what if I told you there’s an unexpected, game-changing hack to survive (and even thrive) this winter term? The answer: working out!

I know, I know—sounds like the last thing you want to hear right now. But hear me out! By the end of this blog, I’m confident you’ll see that staying active can do more than just keep you warm; it’ll boost your academic performance, motivation, and maybe even make those 9 AMs slightly more bearable.

In my first year, I found myself stuck in the “pre-winter blues.” The early sunsets, cold days, and mounting coursework left me feeling unmotivated, and soon enough, I was in a slump that I couldn’t shake. Then a friend stepped in with some unexpected advice: “You need a gym membership.” At first, I wasn’t sure if working out could really make a difference—I mean, could lifting weights or going for a run really help with the stress of university life? But I was willing to try anything, and that single step ended up being one of the best decisions I made that year.

One of the first changes I noticed was, for the first time at university, I felt motivated to wake up early. I was genuinely excited to get out of bed to pursue this new hobby. I went from dragging myself out of bed at 2 PM to consistently waking up at 8 AM, realizing I’d been missing out on half the day. The sense of accomplishment I felt at 10 AM—already awake, fed, and back from the gym—was an incredible motivator. At my lowest, it would be 3 PM by the time I’d finally gotready for what was left of the day. Now, I was gaining nearly five extra hours of daylight, making me feel like I had so much more time to be productive and enjoy my day.

Although it might sound like something straight off a corny poster, it’s true: working out is all about mindset! The commitment to waking up each day and striving to be a little better than yesterday is something you develop through fitness, but it’s also the exact mindset needed to thrive at university. I promise, if you commit to some form of physical activity and start challenging yourself to improve each day, you’ll naturally apply this same drive to your university work.

Before long, that intimidating problem set will feel like a rewarding challenge, and the daunting group project will turn into an opportunity to show everyone what you’re capable of. Plus, sticking to a consistent workout schedule can subconsciously strengthen your discipline. I found that creating and following a workout plan was the perfect foundation for building a solid revision plan..

But for me the best-kept secret about how staying active can transform your university experience is the way it changes your relationship with food. If you’re anything like me, by the time semester one of first year was nearly over, coming up with new meal ideas every day was exhausting, the Uber Eats app had become my go-to, and my student loan was quickly running dry.

Getting into fitness led me to start meal prepping, and I haven’t looked back since. Having 3-4 nutritious, protein-rich recipes that I could cook in bulk has saved me time, stress, and an unbelievable amount of money. That said, like everything else, it’s all about balance, so there’s absolutely nothing wrong with treating yourself to a takeaway or meal out!

If you’re not sure where to start (trust me, I wasn’t either), it the university offers a variety of fitness facilities, including several gyms, swimming pools, and running clubs, along with sessions for virtually every sport imaginable. Whether it’s lifting weights, joining the infamous Manchester night runs, or trying something completely new, I highly recommend giving it a try. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?