As a college student, our bodies endure a lot. We tend to forget about what is good for us and focus on what we feel needs to be done or what we want to do that is more fun than worrying about our health, regardless of how that decision may affect us. Between the all-nighters, three-party weekends, and late night Hires runs- we definitely owe our health an apology.
I’m sorry for almost never getting eight hours of sleep. In college, it seems there is a ven diagram of sleep, study and friends- pick two (a very simplified diagram that really has ten categories and it’s pick 5.5, however that is possible). Most college students tend to leave sleep out and choose partying, studying or even just chatting with friends first.
I’m sorry for the weekly pizza runs that I know aren’t nutritious. In addition to not getting enough sleep, students tend to not be the healthiest eaters either, although this seems to be the least universally true (gotta get that bikini bod). Whether it’s because junk food tends to be more convenient or just taste better, we definitely have some room for improvement.
I’m sorry for drinking too much and too often. College is full of working hard and playing hard…and sometimes too much of both. Drinking and partying on the weekends and let’s face it, sometimes week days (they don’t call it thirsty Thursday for nothing) can be a great way to relieve some stress but sometimes it gets to the point where it is unhealthy for your liver, kidneys, heart, and not to mention, mental health.
I’m sorry for over-booking myself and never having time for myself. Anxiety is one of the top health issues that college students have and this comes from us (and society) putting so much pressure on ourselves to do more and be better. If I have more than a three-hour break before 9 pm, I feel like I must be forgetting something- there is something inherently messed up in that.
I’m sorry for exercise not being a top priority. Our to-do lists are long every day and while many of us were athletes in high school and love to work out, exercise tends to be the last thing on my list and hardly ever something that gets checked off, unless it is tied to losing weight, which is not how it should be. The trick seems to be finding something you love and committing to it daily, but some of us have yet to master that yet.
Overall, I’m sorry. Sorry for not making the one thing that should be the most important, a part of my life. There are many more things that could be added to this list but as per usual, my to do list is calling. I don’t know why my health constantly is pushed off of the list as something I can take care of tomorrow. I, and many other collegiettes, need to change things. But for now, just know that I’m sorry.