How to Be Healthy on Campus
Students Staying Fit at School: Mind, Body and Soul
Students do not live on academics and grades alone. In fact the move to a college campus, dorm-room life, roommate, peer and crush relationships can put a hefty strain on a college student’s health.
Your campus health is a critical aspect of your college success.
Learn how to care for yourself now and make an investment in the long-run—you’ll live a longer, healthier, more vital life.
Get Your Shots Before Landing on Campus
Before you leave for college it’s critical that you get the full battery of boosters and immunizations that will protect you while you acclimate to dorm life. Dorms are crowded and some diseases are spread easily. Up to date vaccinations should include Tetanus, Meningitis, Hepatitis B and any other shots deemed necessary by your college.
Dealing With Depression
Depression is alarmingly prevalent in college students. Around exam time and the holidays it’s common to see fresh flyers hung around campus bulletin boards advertising the services of the campus psychologist or therapist. Students away from home for the first time, cut off from family and friends, finally considering the track of their lives for the first time often struggle to keep their heads together.
It is understandable why many college students start to feel overwhelmed.
Even so, extreme loneliness and depression can be dangerous. Besides, you don’t deserve to feel this way. If you are feeling extremely anxious or sad, see a counselor on campus or your doctor. It is so important that you seek help right away, because while you may get through a bought with depression on your own, why take the risk?
Take a Minute to Phone Home
So you couldn’t wait to get away from home, but once that feeling of flight fades many students simply slip into various stages of homesickness and separation anxiety. In many cases these initial responses fade and are replaced with productive new activities. But for some students the feelings linger and may even progress into deeper depression.
You can help yourself safely and responsibly cope with the drastic move to campus—give into the urge to call home, it’s okay. Whenever you feel lonely and out of touch with family, why not take even two minutes to make a call? Guess what? That phone call will not only benefit you, but the family member, friend or close relative on the other end of the line will get a big boost, as well.
Protect Yourself: Safe Sex
A huge part of college is social life. With social life comes sexual activity for many students. Safe sex is just common sense, so even if you’re not sure whether or not you will be having sex, make sure you have protection with you at all times. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, STDs are a very harsh reality for many college students, another reason to practice healthy and responsible sexual habits.
Work in Some Exercise
Students not formally involved in athletics have a challenging time with staying fit. Other things always seem to take precedence. But exercise is a proven positive for academic fitness as well as physical. Remember, one of the best habits you can establish for yourself on campus is adhering to a routine and making a schedule.
Try this: while you’re scheduling exams, study time and social events put exercise time on your calendar as well. When you define a time for working out, you’re much more likely to stick to it. Why not get a workout buddy?
Eat Smart
Eating is an important part of college and you don’t need to deny yourself some of your favorite foods, but try to put a little balance into your food diet. Breakfast is proven to be possibly the most important meal of the day and crucial for concentration. Try to make three well-balanced meals a regular part of your on-campus routine.
Try this: Rather than munching on chips during a study session, try to make more responsible choices with your food. Opt for a healthy snack.