Promoting Lifelong Wellness Through Campus-Based Recreational Programs: A Study on Student Participation at Colegio De Montalban
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21001635Keywords:
campus recreation, Colegio de Montalban, lifelong wellness, phenomenological case study, student participation, thematic analysisAbstract
This study explored the lived experiences of tertiary students at Colegio de Montalban regarding their participation in campus-based recreational programs and how such experiences contributed to lifelong wellness. It employed a qualitative phenomenological case study design anchored on Astin's Theory of Student Involvement, Tinto's Theory of Social and Academic Integration, and the Student Well-Being Model. Participants were tertiary students who had participated in at least one campus-based recreational program or activity and were selected through purposive sampling until qualitative saturation was reached. Data were gathered through semi-structured, open-ended online qualitative prompts administered through Google Forms and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework. The findings revealed that students described campus recreation through institutionalized extracurricular and physical events, such as intramurals, foundation day activities, fitness exercises, sports tryouts, cultural showcases, and leadership-bonding activities. Participation supported mental decompression, stress mitigation, proactive lifestyle shifts, social capital, and belonging. Peer encouragement and collective support enabled participation, while academic workload, scheduling conflicts, confidence deficits, late announcements, and facility concerns discouraged engagement. Students recommended academic-recreation harmonization and more diversified, inclusive programming. The study concludes that campus-based recreational programs serve as meaningful wellness spaces that support students' physical, psychological, social, and institutional engagement, provided that these programs are inclusive, well-scheduled, and aligned with academic demands.
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