Does anyone actually enjoy going to the doctor? As a kid, your mom or dad calls for your appointments when you’re sick, you go in, your parents fill out all those important papers that you don’t even pay attention to all while you reading one of those cool kids magazines that have crossword puzzles. You go in to the doctor and he or she finds out what’s wrong, prescribes you nasty pink medicine, and BAM! You’re done.
Fast forward ten years, all of a sudden you’re twenty years old and have to call for your own appointments. You find out you can’t go to your pediatrician and actually have to go to… a real doctor?! Not to mention you have to take those dreaded blood tests and get asked those super awkward questions. After not having been to a doctor in a solid three years, this past summer I decided to find a doctor and get checked out because hey, I’m 20 now and I wanna make sure I’m healthy. After nearly passing out from the blood test and filling out the all-too personal questionnaire, I awaited my phone call a day later to find out the results of my blood test.
“We found that you have high cholesterol and need to come in for a follow up.” What am I? A fifty-year old man? Cholesterol? How many of your friends do you know has cholesterol? Probably none! Although my diagnosis could have been way worse, it really made me think about my health choices as a college student constantly on the go. If I’m running late to school, I’ll run to my local deli and buy a bacon, egg, and cheese. If I’m at school and need to eat something before my next class, I’ll go to the UC and grab a burrito bowl. When I get home from school and I don’t want to cook (not that I can cook anyway) and want something fast, I’ll order from my local Domino’s (where, might I add, they remember my order and know my name because I order so frequently).
It’s a vicious cycle that is all too common for college students everywhere and the only way to combat it is too try to make healthier choices and incorporate some kind of physical activity (at least that’s what my doctor said…I’m gonna assume she’s right). Here are three tips to help you college kids out:
1. I don’t know… maybe GO TO A DOCTOR. Yeah- just do it. You might look all healthy and maybe even feel all healthy, but if you haven’t been to one in a while, just go. Be sure to write down any questions you might have; they’re only there to help you out.
2. STOP WASTING YOUR MONEY AT TACO BELL EVERYDAY. Maybe your poison of choice isn’t Taco Bell but McDonald’s. Whatever it is, ease up on it. For me, Wendy’s chicken nuggets are my kryptonite, but if I want to be a healthy adult and be more money conscious, I have to stop eating a 10-piece nugget combo… (Yes, I can eat all 10. I’m not proud).
3. Exercise. In the wise words of Shia LaBeouf and Nike:
We’re in this together, people. Let’s be responsible adults and take control of our health. If we don’t care about ourselves who will?