Ethical and Environmental Group encourage students to get active using 1 week step challenge

The GCU Ethical and Environmental Group have created a daily step challenge, encouraging students to get more active whilst studying at home.

GCU students Elisabeth Dumortier and Monica Allen decided to create a walking challenge, which asks participants to increase their daily steps for one week. As part of the challenge, the students have to use Pacer: an app which monitors your steps and progress.

3rd year International Business student and co-host of the event, Elisabeth Dumortier is hoping that the challenge will encourage students to adopt daily walking into their routine. She said: “As we are all working remotely from home, we find ourselves doing less physical activity. This translates into a cycle where we spend the majority of our time sitting in front of a computer.

To get rid of this habit, we would like to encourage students and staff to move and spend time outside. To do so we have created a step challenge aiming to get you walking and counting your steps daily through an app. It is designed to help the GCU community to improve their wellbeing and to adopt healthier lifestyles in those difficult times.

As the Ethical & Environmental group, we hope that this 1 week challenge amongst the GCU community can develop into a sustainable habit.”

Elisabeth believes that taking part in the challenge will have many benefits and encourages everyone to take part. She said: “Students should take part for three reasons;

1. Doing physical outdoor activity is highly beneficial for our mental health
2. It increases your efficiency and ability to concentrate
3. Walking outside provides natural stress relief!

Doing physical activity is highly beneficial for our mental health. Spending time in our natural environment naturally reduces stress and anxiety and boosts our wellbeing.”

Keep up to date with the Ethical and Environmental group on their Instagram page

By Rachael McAlonan

Got a SCEBE or GSBS story? Email me at Rachael.McAlonan@gcu.ac.uk or connect with me on social media