There always seems to be a million and one things to do when you’re a college student. Studying, working, figuring out how to pay for school, and spending time with friends and family is hard enough to juggle as it is. Forget about having any downtime for yourself.
Although it can feel like you can’t possibly worry about one more thing, life has a way of showing you otherwise, especially when it comes to health. Our health is usually put on the back burner when we’re crunched for time. We can always start working out and eating healthy when we have less things to do, right?
However, a time when our schedules are less booked rarely ever comes, even when we graduate from college. Old responsibilities get replaced with new ones, and the cycle begins all over again. Someday needs to become today, especially when you’re going to school.
Pulling all nighters and consuming alcohol is all apart of the college experience that will wreak havoc on your body sooner rather than later. So if less energy, a lack of mental clarity, and weight gain don’t sound good to you, here’s what you can do to graduate with a clean bill of health.
Stay Physically Fit
According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, we should be participating in 150 minutes of exercise per week. Most of us don’t even get in half that amount, mostly due to time and price, the two biggest barriers for college students to stay physically fit.
However, there are many ways you can squeeze in a workout while still remaining within your budget. The first thing you can do is ditch cars and public transportation, opting to walk or bike to school instead. Even if you live farther away, you can go on foot at least part of the distance.
University parking can be quite the expense, so you’ll save money as well as exercise your body by finding free or more economically priced parking off-campus and walking to class. Colleges also provide many amenities to their students like gyms and fitness classes at no charge. This negates the need for expensive gym memberships or equipment.
If you don’t think you have the time to take advantage of these resources, think again. If you have breaks between your classes, that’s time you can utilize at the gym. You can also commit the time before or after classes to fit in a workout in as well.
Also consider joining a university or intramural sports team. When you have people counting on you to show up for practices and games, it motivates you to keep to a regular exercise routine. That being said, it helps to exercise with a friend whether or not you join a sport.
You’ll still be held accountable to work out all while enjoying the company of a good friend. It’s important to have fun with your exercise routine, so change up the workouts and participate in activities you actually enjoy doing. Nothing kills a physical activity goal more than boredom and a lack of enthusiasm.
It Must Be Something You Ate
Convenience begins to take top priority in your diet when you’re a college student. Who has time to cook when assignments are due and big tests are just around the corner? We can easily fall into the age old habit of ordering takeout and restricting our diet to easy packaged foods like instant ramen noodles and chips.
These foods may satisfy our hunger needs quickly, but your body will come to regret not taking the few extra steps and minutes to prepare a more nutritious meal. To make things easier on yourself and your health, make sure your fridge and pantry are stocked with foods rich in vitamins and minerals, like fruits and vegetables.
Always have healthy snacks on you so you can make wise dietary choices on the go as well. By limiting your exposure and reach of junk food, the more likely you’ll to stick to healthier eating habits. It also helps to learn the recommended serving size of the foods you consume.
Overeating healthy meals is still overeating, but don’t be on the opposite side of the spectrum and skip meals altogether, either. No matter how late you are to class or how limited your schedule is, there’s always time to eat. Have meals and snacks already prepared so all you have to do is grab and go on days where time is not on your side.
Change meals up a bit, as well, to avoid the boredom of eating the same foods over and over again. Don’t forget about the beverages you drink, either. Although moderation is key in both food and drinks, make sure not to go overboard on alcohol or beverages containing caffeine or sugar.
Instead, drink more water. Not only does it fill you up and help you stay focused, water doesn’t have the calories or unhealthy ingredients other drinks do. So bring a water bottle wherever you go to stay hydrated and healthy.
If anything, make sure to start off your day with a hearty breakfast. Skipping breakfast actually leads to weight gain and can make you irritated and unfocused. So do yourself, your classmates, and professors a favor and eat — just maybe not late night pizza.
Mind Over Matter
Being physically fit does wonders for your health. However, you cannot experience true wellness if you don’t keep up with your mental health as well. The mind and body are two sides of the same coin. If you neglect one, balance is disrupted and your health will be negatively affected by it.
College opens your mind to new knowledge and perspectives, but it’s also a breeding ground for depression, anxiety, and stress. To prepare yourself mentally for college, create daily, realistic routines you can stick to. This will make it easier to organize your time in a way to complete priority tasks day by day.
Although some people may not need to schedule in break times, it’s a good idea to do so anyways. Putting a limit on how much you work will prevent you from neglecting your mental and physical health. When you’re refreshed by relaxation and hobbies, you’ll do much better work than if you were hitting the books non-stop throughout the day and night.
Likewise, you’re not doing yourself or your grades any favors by staying up all night studying. Sleep deprivation doesn’t increase test scores and certainly does nothing to improve your mental health, either. Also realize you may not be able to address everything you need to, and that it may be a signal to spend less time on certain activities.
The last thing you want to do is get run down in the middle of a semester. It’s easy to wear yourself out when trying to do everything you want and need at once. Burnout does happen, but the best way to prevent this from happening as much as possible is to make sure you give yourself plenty of time to complete assignments and study for tests.
When you learn to manage your time well, you’ll see that you have many more usable hours in the day than you originally thought. Also, make sure not to isolate yourself and set aside time for friends and family. Alone time is great, but there’s nothing like sharing a joke with a friend or spending a nice evening with family members.
Look into meditation or yoga classes offered at your school, or follow along with online videos to help you further relax and become more mindful of yourself and your well-being. Lastly, never be afraid to seek out help. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your emotions, workload, or both, talk to a trusted friend or professor about it. You will find that most people will be understanding and point you to campus resources that can help.
College life is hard enough without having to worry about your health. However, the college experience of many students involves activities that are counterintuitive to a lifestyle of wellness. Late nights, alcohol, junk food, and a high-stress environment are not the ingredients for a clean bill of health.
That doesn’t mean overall fitness isn’t within your grasp if you’re a college student, though. By prioritizing physical fitness, diet, and mental health throughout your day, you’ll not only ace your classes and graduate from college, you’ll pass your wellness exams with flying colors.
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