For many students at the University of Miami, maintaining wellness can be challenging amid academic and personal responsibilities. However, for student-athletes, self-care is essential to their routines. Faculty and students from the university recently discussed how these habits can benefit all students.
Arlette Perry, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences at the School of Education and Human Development; Anthony Musto, executive director of the Patti and Allan Herbert Wellness Center; and Maddie Scheier, a cross-country and track athlete, shared their perspectives on wellness.
Musto noted changes over time in student attitudes toward health. “I think students today [are more interested] in their own personal health and fitness,” Musto said. “But I also think their reason for exercising is different. More of them are doing it for a mental health reason, a cognitive function reason.”
He reported that 13,000 unique students used the Herbert Wellness Center last spring, representing about 66 percent of the student body. “It’s more ingrained into campus life,” Musto said. “Years ago, it was an amenity; now it’s part of the student experience.” He emphasized that wellness should be considered routine maintenance: “You take care of your smartphone,” he said. “You get the cover, the protection plan, the warranty. And you don’t do it for yourself.” Musto recommends dedicating at least one hour per day to self-care: “It’s not an hour less of studying. It’s going to refresh your brain, calm the anxiety, and calm the stress so you can perform better.”
Perry highlighted college as a key period for developing healthy habits: “College is another good time, maybe the second-best time, to teach young people about the importance of good, solid nutrition and physically active lifestyles,” she said. She added that while some habits may already be established by this stage in life, change is still possible.
She also pointed out that physical and mental health are closely linked: “When you physically feel better, you mentally feel better,” Perry said. “Physical health is very closely related to mental health. It’s a significant correlation.” Her work focuses on helping students understand their bodies and make informed choices about their well-being.
“Nothing’s more important than taking care of your body,” Perry said. “It helps you academically; it helps you in your job; it helps you work with other people in all aspects of life.” For those who worry they are behind on building healthy habits she offered encouragement: “Number one, it’s never too late,” Perry said. “I’ve seen old people start an exercise program and keep going. And I’m one—I’m 74.”
Scheier described her daily schedule as highly structured due to athletics commitments but noted this structure supports her productivity: “I do better when I’m super busy,” Scheier said. She identified recovery as just as important as training itself: “That’s how you prevent injury, and you get ready for the next day.” She also spoke about lessons learned through sports such as teamwork—“You have to be able to work with other people who might not be similar to you”—and resilience—“It’s about just pushing through when it gets tough.”
Scheier advised overwhelmed students to prioritize themselves when needed: “Know your priorities,” she said.”And sometimes you can put yourself first … ask,’Is this too much?'”
The interviews collectively stressed that consistency matters most when pursuing wellness goals rather than striving for perfection or trying to do everything at once.
As summarized by each participant:
– From Musto: Treat self-care as maintenance.
– From Perry: Movement and nutrition influence both body and mind.
– From Scheier: Structure leads to discipline which builds confidence.
All agreed there is no wrong time to begin making positive changes.“Whenever they feel they’re ready to learn more—that’s a good thing,” Perry stated.
Musto concluded by urging students:“Gift yourself that hour.”
The message remains clear—wellness requires ongoing effort but offers lasting benefits throughout life.
