With finals season rapidly approaching, becoming sick is the last thing any of us need right now. The effect of the college lifestyle on our immune systems is often significantly detrimental. From late nights to binging on junk food, being away it school isn’t exactly the most conducive circumstance for a healthy lifestyle. Believe it or not, though, there are many ways to stay healthy and avoid the unfortunate fate of getting sick. Stick to these 10 rules and you’ll, hopefully, stay super healthy all semester long.
1. Sleep
Getting enough sleep in college is honestly not an easy task. It often seems like we’re always alternating between late nights out and late nights cramming in the library. However, it’s absolutely essential for your health to cut the partying and procrastination to a minimum and try to get some sleep. Learn how to balance your time well enough to allow yourself at least a few early nights or sleep-in mornings every week.
2. Keep Your Room Clean
We all can be lazy and procrastinate cleaning our room. My best suggestion to you is to make it a regular routine to give your room a pretty thorough clean once a week. This is important especially if you have roommates, because sharing a room means sharing germs. Pay special attention to anything you all use.
3. Take Emergen-C
My friends and I swear by drinking Emergen-C for avoiding getting sick. Whenever we feel a little stuffy or our throats become a little sore, drinking Emergen-C is our first move of attack. With a variety of flavors to choose from, each one contains vitamins, antioxidants, and electrolytes. It’s the perfect quick fix whenever you start to feel under the weather.
4. Fight Your FOMO
As hard as it is to admit, opting out of going out sometimes is necessary. If you’re not feeling great, you probably won’t have a good time anyway. Why push yourself when it’s only going to make you feel worse? Don’t be afraid you’ll catch FOMO by staying in and seeing Snapchat stories. You’ll thank yourself later for not going out.
5. Wash your hands
It’s super important to make sure you’re washing your hands as often as you can. Another tip is to always keep hand sanitizer in your backpack or jacket pocket. This is a perfect way to avoid constantly searching for a bathroom while making sure you’re hands are always germ free!
6. Get Your Flu Shot
Avoid the stress of flu season by planning ahead with a flu shot. Make the hike to your health center or splurge on an Uber to your closest CVS or Rite Aid. Either option is a much better alternative to the misery of catching the flu at school.
7. Avoid Sharing Drinks
Sharing drinks means sharing germs. Sipping all of your friends drinks may seem like a good idea at the time, but don’t be surprised if you’re carpooling to the health center together come the morning. You never know who is sick!
8. Eat Well
Whether we like it or not, constantly pigging out on junk food is never a good thing. Though it’s often difficult to maintain a balanced diet in college, it’s worth the effort. The better you eat the better you’ll feel.
9. Bundle Up
A bulky jacket might not make for a cute outfit, but it is important for facing the cold weather. Your thin sweater is certainly not enough when walking across a freezing campus, so top it off with your warmest coat and hat.
10. Stress Less
The more we stress, the more run down we become. When we’re constantly overexerting ourselves, we’re more likely to become sick. Give yourself breaks and times where you just let yourself relax.