Mel Pardock – Staff Writer

After a year of waiting, Walktober is back, and this year, the Gustavus Peer Assistants have worked hard to ensure that the Gustavus community has a fun, fabulous, and healthy fall. 

Walktober is an event held every fall by the Peer Assistants to show the Gustavus community the benefits and excitement of exercise and mental wellness. Events are held on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. every week in October, and each Thursday has a themed activity. So far, the PAs have entertained Gusties with the Poker Walk, the Mental Health Resource Scavenger Hunt, and a Walk & Talk event. Next week’s event is the last one being held, and on Oct 27, Gusties can participate in Trick-or-Treating around campus. In addition to helping students get outside and get a breath of that fresh autumn air, Walktober provides students with prizes as motivation.

“Participants who complete 3 out of 4 events are entered to win our grand prize, your choice of a $150 shopping spree at the Bookmark or 2 Minnesota Vikings tickets. We also have weekly drawings for gift cards, so be sure to turn in your worksheet even if you haven’t completed 3 of the walks!” Senior and PA Coordinator Eliza Scherschligt said.

The events of Walktober aren’t just a fun way to earn some prizes. The event was created to encourage students to take a step back from the stressors of school and life in general, to learn the positive effects of physical activity on your mental health, and to see the sights that our campus has to offer. College is a stressful time and one can easily get lost in the monotony of their own thoughts, something Walktober aims to help with.

“We created Walktober to encourage students to push pause, and venture around campus with a friend in hopes of not only taking their minds off daily stressors for a bit, but also to demonstrate the positive effect physical activity has on our mood. We are intentional about the events and stops included in each of our Walktober events in an effort to make students aware of the many mindfulness and mental health resources available to them on campus and their locations,” Scherschligt said. 

There are multitudes of benefits to partaking in Walktober according to the PAs. 

“Studies show that walking can be incredibly beneficial for not only our physical health but our mental health as well. Simply going for a brief walk can help to reduce our stress and anxiety and even help to improve our cognitive functioning as well. While we know students are super busy during this time of year, Walktober is a quick little activity to get students moving, outside, and give them a break in their day,” Senior and PA Coordinator Ellie Wigham said. 

Through Walktober, the PAs hope to bring attention to the struggles college students face and to show them resources on campus that can help them, and the walking routes are specifically planned with these issues in mind.

“The Scavenger Hunt was created to bring attention to common struggles and scenarios students may experience throughout their time at college, and help them identify both the purpose and location of on-campus resources available to support them through those challenges. We intentionally had participants visit the same resources again for the Poker Walk and Trick or Treating events so students would become more familiar with entering each office,” Director of Prevention and Wellness Education Laura Herbst-Johnson said. 

Walktober is also an opportunity for the Gustavus community to reconnect with their friends and peers amidst the hustle and bustle of school, work, and everything else college brings. 

“I love participating in the weekly Walktober events because it gives me an excuse to take a break from all of my homework and other responsibilities and just take a moment to be outside and get my body moving. It’s also a great way to connect with friends on campus that maybe you haven’t seen in a while by having them do Walktober with you!” Wigham said. 

You heard it here first, Gusties. Head to the GustieWELL on Thursday, Oct. 26, any time between 8:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. to do some trick-or-treating, take a break from the chaos of life, get some fresh air, and enter to win some cool prizes.