At Harvard, we toss around the term “crash-out” as casually as if it’s just another everyday occurrence—like leaving your laundry in the machine for a minute too long and coming down to find it discarded on the floor in a plastic bag. Students are relentlessly torn between academic, social, and physical demands, pushing themselves to the brink of burnout long before they even face the unyielding pressures of post-graduate life. In the struggle to meet every demand, physical activity is often the first casualty, sacrificed in favor of getting more than just four hours of sleep each night. However, committing to some form of exercise can be the key to overcoming the crushing weight of Harvard life.
There is no shortage of research to confirm that exercise of any form is critical for your physical health. The United States Department of Health recommends that adults aim to get anywhere from 75 to 150 minutes of physical activity a week. This can include anything from a planned run on a MAC treadmill to walking up four flights of stairs to reach your Eliot top-floor dorm; as long as your heart rate is elevated, it counts. The key is finding an activity that promotes consistency: a grueling leg day may boost physical gains, but it won’t support your mental health if you’re too sore to leave your bed for the next three days.
Surprisingly, one of the most convenient and effective ways to stay active and improve your mental health is walking. Walking is low-impact, easily accessible, and necessary for daily life on Harvard’s sprawling campus. A comprehensive review by JAMA Psychiatry found that walking outside can decrease stress and anxiety, contribute to a more optimistic attitude, and lower your risk of depression by almost 25%. Something so simple, with so many benefits, is the perfect way to avoid the “crash-out.” In the long run, stepping outside for even five minutes to loop around Lamont will serve you much better than chugging another Red Bull at 2 a.m.
Now, there is always the option to run instead of walk, but experts advise against this if your primary focus is to reset mentally. While running causes an increase in heart rate, the concern becomes focusing on the activity itself rather than taking the time to process internal thoughts and feelings. Running to the point of your calves cramping is not doing your mental health any favors; on the other hand, a calming walk along the Charles River gives you time to check in, assess, and process your emotions in a calm environment.
If you want to take it one step further, psychologists suggest implementing the 5-4-3-2-1 breathing method while walking, a process that is often recommended to combat anxiety attacks. This method starts by identifying five tangible things that you can see on your walk, such as flowers, trees, or a pair of geese in the river. Next, shift your focus to four objects you can touch, which can range from the grass underneath your feet to the hem of your sweatshirt. After that, single out three noises from the environment (ideally ones that do not set off your fight-or-flight response, like an ambulance siren would).
You then pinpoint two smells around you; preferably these are pleasant aromas, but anything will work. Finally, identify one remnant of taste left over from your midnight Jefe’s burrito or the dining hall coffee you had to wake yourself up this morning. The combination of this routine calms your parasympathetic nervous system, lowering your heart rate and easing mental strain.
Should your mental health walk not provide the support you need to prevent a “crash-out,” Harvard provides many resources, including the CAMHS Cares Hotline and access to therapy through the TimelyCare app. Regardless of how you choose to care for your mental health, the most crucial thing is to prioritize it with the same importance as your physical health. As the weather warms up and seasonal depression begins to end, get outside, soak up vitamins from the sunlight, and use your silly little mental health walk to feel better.
Kate Oliver ’26 (koliver@college.harvard.edu) uses Bala Bangles for her mental health walks.