Midweek on a college campus often brings a mix of stress, deadlines and mental fatigue. Amid the usual academic rhythm, moments of intentional pause can be hard to come by. But even small breaks—time spent outdoors, a change of pace or a shift in environment—can quietly support mental well-being and restore balance in the middle of a busy day.
That’s why Stevenson University’s wellness center started Walking Wednesday. It’s a weekly chance for students to step outside, get some fresh air and take care of their mental and physical health by simply going for a walk.
Nicole De Vos, a nurse practitioner at the Wellness Center, helped create the event. It was inspired by seeing an influx of run clubs on social media and her own experience in run clubs.
“So I kind of opened up the idea of, you know, why don’t we just give students space to come walk?” De Vos said. “A lot of us might enjoy walking, but might not want to do it by ourselves, might not want to just go stand on a treadmill, might want to be outside.”
Clearing your mind and having an opportunity is the kind of peaceful experience she wants to give students with Walking Wednesdays. The event is very casual. Students don’t have to sign up. They can walk alone or with others; they can talk, stay quiet, or even put in earbuds and listen to music the whole time.
Cassie Rivera, a nursing student at Stevenson, says walking has helped her deal with the stress of classes. Her favorite place to walk is the bridge to the North campus.
“I think the nature just surrounds you, and I think that’s very pretty to look at,” Rivera said. “All your friends together and just walking and taking your time…I feel like that is very therapeutic in a way.”
Even when she’s working at the hospital as a nursing assistant, Rivera encourages her patients to go on walks.
“I think it’s better for them to just walk around the unit and not just be stuck up into their room where it won’t be good for not only their mental health, but also their physical health as well,” Rivera said.
Walking Wednesday is still new, and the number of students joining is small. At first, only one person came each time. Then it grew to two. But De Vos sees that as a win.
“Our goal always at the Wellness Center is if someone is coming to an event, even if it’s one person, it’s successful,” De Vos said. “It’s at least touching someone on campus and in some way benefiting them.”
Getting students to join events can be tough. Students are busy, the weather changes, and not everyone is in the mood to walk. But she believes in keeping the option open.
“Sometimes it just takes time to get things off the ground,” De Vos said.
She also wants students to understand that walking is just one option.
“Find something you enjoy that is benefiting you,” De Vos said. “What can you try next? Or did you connect with someone that had an idea for something next?”
Rivera agrees. “Everyone should just take their time to go on walks, whether it’s starting on walking on Wednesdays, and that could just be a starting point for people, and you don’t even have to be part of the organization,” she said.
In a time when college students are feeling more stressed than ever, small steps can make a big difference. Walking might not solve every problem, but it can offer a moment of calm in a busy week, and that might be just enough.
“Trying one thing that maybe you were too nervous to try because you heard a lot of people aren’t going, might be the best thing for you,” Rivera said.
