Maltese University students’ lived experience of exercise throughout their studies

Abstract

Research indicated that implementing a weekly exercise regimen in students’ university schedule has a positive influence on their university experience throughout their studies (Theodoratou et al., 2016). This study aimed to explore the lived experience of university students in Malta who exercise throughout their studies. In doing so, this dissertation contributed to the field of wellbeing and exercise, by highlighting the psychological impact and experiences of students who exercise while attending university. Six university students who actively engaged in exercise at least twice a week were recruited to participate in an in-depth interview. Following this, the interviews were then transcribed verbatim and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), four overarching superordinate themes emerged, with each theme including various subordinate themes. The findings suggested that actively participating in exercise throughout university studies brought about numerous challenges and compromises, however this lifestyle also seemed to have a positive impact during the young adults life. The participants viewed their journey of exercising while studying as a positive experience that taught them how to plan their time better, focus more and cope with university stresses which in turn they believed provided them with essential life lessons. The need for students to actively engage in exercise while studying was highlighted by the participants, who mentioned that recognition of the positive impacts of exercise on studies should be emphasised within educational institutions, however in order to be able to do this they must be taught how to manage their time properly. Suggestions for future research are to compare the experience between students at university who exercise and those who do not.