I spent the past couple of years perfecting my diet and workout regimen at home, so when people brought up the Freshman Fifteen, I thought I had it under lock.
But it’s not the partying that gets you as much as people say. It’s the adjustment to a new place, lack of routine, and especially all of the easily accessible, unhealthy food around you. On top of this, you’re living in a pretty small place with another person and no kitchen. For me and many others, it was a hard adjustment. Here are some tips to keep your mind, body, and heart healthy while living in a dorm.
1. Set a Schedule
One of the great things about college is that you’re not in school from 7am to 3pm every day in the same daily routine that is high school. Some days you don’t have class until noon, some days you have class at 8am, and some days you don’t have class at all. One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to set a schedule, regardless of when you have classes. Set a bedtime and a wake-up time and stick to them. Knowing when you have to go to bed and when you have to wake up will make you subconsciously force yourself to get more done in the time when you are awake. You will feel much more productive throughout the day and have a more positive outlook towards school work and daily activities.
2. Plan Your Day
In the Notes app on iPhone, you have the ability to make checklists. You will be joyfully surprised how much your brain wants to accomplish everything on that list before the end of the day. When you wake up, take 5-10 minutes to assess your day and write down a little checklist. Start by prioritizing: write down your class schedule for the day, your work schedule, and any primary things you have to do, like homework that is due tomorrow. Then, write down some times for yourself. I like to plan a time to go to the gym and a time to watch my shows and chill out. Also, something that will help you stay on track with healthy eating is planning your meals/meal times. For example, write down “Breakfast @ 7am: smoothie, oatmeal, vitamins.” While you will stray some days, it is good to give yourself a general idea of what your day is looking like and sneak in little ways to stay healthy.
3. Get Creative With Your Meals
The first thing I struggled with at school was eating healthy while living in a dorm. I love to cook, so it was really hard for me to adjust to the microwave and the dining hall. However, it is completely doable and even fun to experiment with what works (and what doesn’t). I did some research and ordered a $25 personal blender off of Amazon and it has been a lifesaver! Grab a few bananas from the dining hall and some frozen fruits and veggies from your local grocery store and you can have smoothies for days. Another thing that helps me is microwavable rice and pasta. Any type of pasta will work in the microwave amd cooks quick and easy, but rice is a little more tedious. Frozen vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, instant oatmeal, soup, and even eggs can be made in the microwave. Also, the dining hall offers great options like a full salad bar, an omelette station, and a stir-fry station, so plan your dining hall trips around the times those stations will be open and you’ll have no trouble avoiding the pizza!
If you are struggling with productivity and organization, then I guarantee these tips will help you! The most important thing is to remember to take care of yourself, especially when things are stressful. Always set aside time to do things you enjoy doing and don’t forget to treat yourself whenever you need it!