College is the experience of a lifetime, in more ways than one. You meet new friends, you begin your path to a career, and you become an adult and live on your own for the first time. All of these things are crazy exciting, but also insanely terrifying. With so many “what ifs” and responsibilities, it’s easy to slip into bad habits and drift into an unhealthy lifestyle. However, it is also just as easy to form a new routine of healthy choices!
- Health goes beyond the body: it begins with the mind.
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You can’t take care of yourself physically if you are not supporting yourself mentally. Probably the most important step to forming a healthy lifestyle in college is reserving time for yourself. College can be overwhelmingly busy and it can be hard to find time to simply breathe. In order to remain positive, you must actively choose yourself while still balancing a social life. If you are tired, don’t force yourself to go to that party. Instead, go home, take a shower, and read your favorite book. You’ll thank yourself in the morning when you wake up at 9 a.m. (fully rested) instead of 12 p.m. (groggy.) You can’t actively make great decisions on a low-charged body—give yourself the rest your mind deserves and get to know yourself better in the process!
- Fuel Up Right
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Despite popular belief, it is actually quite easy to make healthy decisions in the dining hall. Of course, these are conscious decisions that require your participation: it might be easy just to walk up to the bagel station everyday and hit up the unlimited ice cream. While these are both amazing amenities, eating more sustainable foods can be delicious and make you feel better in the long run. Maintain a healthy diet, try not to overeat, and load up on fruits and veggies. Don’t forget to treat yourself once in awhile to something yummy and eat a healthy amount of carbs—they give you loads of energy.
- Be Active
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Although resting is important, sometimes it is hard to drag yourself out of bed to workout — but trust me, you will feel rewarded and energized afterward. At the beginning of the semester, make yourself a schedule; it doesn’t have to be strict, but map out times for yourself to do some form of exercise. Once you get into the routine, it will be easy and just become a habit! There are plenty of ways to stay fit: go for a walk and invite friends, go on a run, or rent a bike and discover the city. While this can be hard in Boston’s brutal winters, Fitrec is always warm and just a short walk or bus ride away. Boston is a hub of fun activities— there are plenty of interesting classes to try, and you can even make some new friends!
- Have FUN!
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A lot of people view routine and health consciousness as boring and non-spontaneous, but building habits is just a way to balance it all and make the fun times even more fun! You can’t make the decision to love yourself if you aren’t having a good time, so it’s okay to take time off and go be with friends. You only get one shot at this life, so you might as well enjoy it. Sometimes restricting yourself is just a way to be all around happier and looser when the time comes!
College is a load of stress, but forming good, healthy habits is a way to overcome all of the obstacles that come your way. Devise the right routine for you and stick with it — as long as it’s all in good fun!
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