USAO’s annual Walktober event invites all students, faculty, and staff to get out and get moving during the month of October.
Walktober promotes and challenges participants to be active in many different forms. All participants need to do is keep track of their steps each day through a watch or an app on their phone; by doing this, participants can receive different prizes at the end of the event. This event serves as a reminder to the student body to take a break from their schooling and encourages them to reach out to others to participate.
“I think Walktober is fun on a campus like USAO because it challenges the student body to get outside and get moving,” Emily Loughridge, a junior communication major and past Walktober participant, said. “One of my favorite things about Walktober is going on walks or exercising with my friends, especially as the leaves start changing colors around campus.”
This event is not only for the students, but also for USAO’s faculty and staff. Walktober is an opportunity to see the professors being active and participating in one of the many events held on campus. One of last year’s participants who was very involved with the event was Dr. Stephen Weber, professor of music. He said he highly encourages students to get involved and always promotes the Walktober event.
“Doing something physical,” Dr. Weber said, “is beneficial in so many ways. We need to remember the body needs attention, too.”
Walktober is all about promoting exercise in many different forms ranging from walking to running to dancing. As Dr. Weber said, students simply need to make time for it, and they will notice a positive change and increase to their energy. Making any form of exercise a part of a routine will only benefit the students, and Walktober is a easy was to start that habit.
For more information contact Rachel Drechsler, coordinator for student wellness and accommodation, at rdrechsler@usao.edu.
Bella Wilson is a second-year business management major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
