The first year of college is an adjustment period. You’re living on your own, attending classes on different buildings, and meeting new people. Although life is more hectic now, you need to find a way to stay on top of your health. On your first year of college, here are a few tips on how to stay healthy:
Start a bullet journal
In college, the main enemy of your body and mind is stress. There are just too many papers and reading assignments to finish, exams to study for, and social events to attend.
To keep stress at a manageable level, start a bullet journal. A bullet journal is a simple way to organize your schedule, list your tasks, and take notes. Putting it simply, it’s like a planner, a diary, and a creative outlet in one. It will help you manage each day efficiently.
Get enough sleep
Sleep often becomes an afterthought for college students. But, with your bullet journal, you can track how many hours of sleep you get every night so you know if you’re getting enough. With a more organized lifestyle, you can also allot more hours to sleep. You should also keep your caffeine intake monitored so falling asleep at night won’t be a problem. Lastly, get as many naps as you can between classes; just don’t forget to set an alarm so you won’t be late.
Maintain a physical activity
If you play a sport, good. Play it as often as you can. If you don’t play a sport, you should still maintain a physical activity. A quick morning jog (thirty to sixty minutes a day) is a great way to start the day. You can also join a yoga or pilates class. Maybe there’s a pool nearby where you can go for a swim.
However, if going out to exercise is not your thing, you can do simple home exercises in your dorm room or apartment. There’s always a way to remain physically active while in college. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, just be consistent.
Be mindful of what you eat and drink
It doesn’t have to be said, but eating ramen noodles and dollar pizza every single night isn’t doing your body any good. Neither does going out to drink and partying all the time.
To stay healthy, make a promise to yourself that you’ll always be mindful of what you eat and drink when you go to college.
Practice meal planning so you don’t always resort to ramen noodles and dollar pizza for dinner. If you got the munchies, replace your bag of chips with carrot sticks. And it’s okay to party once in a while, as long as you are responsible. These may seem like small steps, but they’re actually really good for your body and health. If you make the conscious choice to eat healthy, you’ll always feel good within and without.
Stay hydrated
Your body is made up of 70% water, so don’t underestimate the importance of staying hydrated. Drinking enough water will make your skin look healthier and plumper. It will prevent headaches and migraines, especially when you need to do an all-nighter. It will also help keep you energized and feeling good inside. So carry a water bottle around with you and stay hydrated.
Slow down
When things get stressful, keeping up becomes your only option. However, this only aggravates your stress. Think about anxiety as a self-feeding monster; the more you try to fight it, the bigger it gets.
So when you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, why not try the opposite of catching up? Slow down. Take your time. Take a power nap. Or meditate using an app. Mindful breathing will clear your head of the clutter and help you bring back your focus on the important things. Remember that your mental health is part of your overall health, so doing what you can to make your brain healthy and happy is as important as maintaining a physical activity.
After all, it’s your brain that thinks and memorizes and solves and analyzes. If you don’t take care of it, you won’t do well in your classes.
Treat yourself
Every now and then, you should treat yourself for a job well done in school. You can do this by spending a Saturday binging a new show on Netflix, or doing a 12-step Korean beauty routine, or driving around while listening to your favorite songs. Perhaps there’s a movie that you’re dying to see or a concert you really want to go to. It can even be as simple as getting together with your closest friends and catching up after weeks of not seeing each other because of how busy you all are. No matter what it takes, treat yourself. You deserve it.
The last thing you want when you go to college is to get sick all the time. With all the deadlines you need to meet, you have to stay as healthy as you can. Therefore, follow these tips and learn more about staying healthy in college by clicking here.
