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JOURNAL OF YOUTH RESEARCHES
A Step For Healthy Life: A Student Club Activity
Physical activity and exercise have an increasingly prevalent importance in the cur-
rent world today (Kızar, Kargün, Togo, Biner and Pala, 2016).Reducing physical ac-
tivity and turning it into an inactive lifestyle increases the risk of obesity, chronor
heart disease, non-insulin dependent diabetes, osteoporosis and some types of
cancer. Regular physical activity improves physiological, psychological and met-
abolic parameters and reduces the risk of chronic disease and premature mortal-
ity (Yıldırım, Özşevik, Özer, Canyurt and Tortop, 2015). In this context, the AYBU
Healthy Life Club’s 2016-2017 academic year activities were finished with a social
and sports activity that combines sport and entertainment with nature in order to
draw attention to the importance of “Physical Activity for Healthy Life”.An entertain-
ing nature walk took place around the Eymir Lake on 20.05.2017 with the slogan
“Walk for Healthy Life” with the participation of the lecturers from the AYBU Nursing
Department, AYBU Healthy Club members and students from the nursing depart-
ment. The walk that started in the morning ended after breakfast, lunch, chatting and
cycling activities.
2. Students’ Views On Club Activities
In the study, it was determined that the students joined the Healthy Life club with the
aims of social development, personal development, communication with different
people, and due to awareness of duty and responsibility as well (Table 1).According
to students’ views on the benefits of joining a student club, it helped them toincrease
communication skills(acquiring new friendships, communicating with the instruc-
tors, having the ability to Express their thoughts), to provide professional and social
sensitivity, to improve problem solving skills and to gain team work skills (Table 2).
At the same time, 55.5% of the students stated that being a member of a student
club helped them to plan their future. Students reported problems with long and
exhausting procedures, low number of participants, inadequate financial resources,
and negativity caused by group work during club activities (Table 3).
