Being fit and being healthy are two completely separate concepts. Some people make the choice to lead fit lives, and not everyone chooses to do so, but you should ALWAYS strive towards living a healthy life. I know CMU is really hard because it is so easy to get wrapped up in the school work and forget about yourself, but you must make sure you are taking care of yourself. I know I am a freshman and I have only been here for a few months, but I have been living healthily, which in part has made me super happy. Here are some of my tips to help you live a happier/healthier life here at CMU:
Drink lots of water. I know it is really easy to be tempted into drinking soda since it is an option with almost every meal block, but it is so unhealthy for you, especially on a daily basis. Just think, if you skip the soda you can eat a cookie or have some ice cream. OR you can have the cookie AND the ice cream…TREAT YO SELF, GIRL! Seriously though, drinking water gives you plenty of health benefits like healthy skin. Plus, most water is 0 calories, which is a huge plus and it makes you feel more energized. Remember to drink your 8 glasses a day.
Go to the gym. I know what you may be thinking. The gym? What? How does one work out? Trust me, these were all things I was thinking before I started going to the gym on the daily. CMU’s new facilities are amazing, and if you are really not into the whole working out thing I totally recommend just checking out all of the equipment because you may see something that catches your eye. Also, going to the gym is truly stress relieving because it gives you the me-time your mental state so needs. And if you do not believe me, believe Elle Woods- “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” Everyday try to carve out at least half an hour to exercise your way to happiness.
More time? Go to group-X classes! If you have more time on your hands definitely experiment with the group-X classes, which are FREE this year at CMU, so take advantage of it! There are many different classes that range from pilates to yoga, so check out the new mini-semester schedule.
Do NOT forget to eat! I know when you are super busy, sometimes it can be hard to squeeze in a meal, but please make sure you are eating. Food is one of the best things in life, so do not do yourself the dishonor of skipping what could be an epic meal. Eating is also super important because not eating can lead to serious migraines and hangriness, and who likes hangry people? If you are in a time crunch, I suggest finding a place on campus that has relatively quick service that you can rely on for a quick meal.
Get your sleep! I cannot stress this enough. Go to sleep! Go To Sleep! GO TO SLEEP! Sleep is incredibly important for us to function like normal humans, so if something is not done by midnight, it is not worth it. If it is a homework assignment, go to bed early and wake up in the morning to finish it. Pro-tip: try to get your homework done earlier in the day instead of waiting to finish it late at night. Seriously guys, sleep deprivation is something incredibly serious and extremely unhealthy, so take naps and go to bed at a normal time because you will wake up in the morning feeling so much happier that you got a full night’s sleep and you will feel much happier.
Take 30 minutes out of your day to focus on yourself. Go to the gym. Color in your adult coloring book. Go to the mindfulness room and meditate. Watch Netflix. Listen to music. Write in your journal. I do not care how you unwind, but make sure you do this everyday because it is so easy to get worn down from this school, so taking time out of your day to focus on yourself can be really rewarding.