College is demanding, and with so much already going on in your life, taking care of yourself can often drop lower and lower on your priority list with each successive week. However, don’t let life fool you—taking care of yourself is just as important as everything else! Read on for a few things to keep in mind to stay on top of your health while managing your busy college life—both physically and mentally.
Plan Mental Breaks:
A great friend of mine said to think of yourself as a battery. There is only so much power that you can keep draining from yourself each day, and you need to make sure to charge that battery completely. Now think—ow many of us actually charge your battery to 100 percent each night? Each week? Make time to give your mind a break. After you have a particularly eventful week of exams, intentionally plan time to recharge. Text a friend to meet you for coffee in the nearby cities, take a nap, or just simply lay down and stare at the ceiling.
Trade In Your Coffee for Tea:
Coffee is a great thing, I can’t deny that. A hot beverage will definitely help you to stay warm during this cold season, and switching to tea can bring along a number of extra benefits. Tea has the antioxidants and minerals that coffee doesn’t it. So, give it a try, and you don’t have to be fancy about it—just carry a few tea bags. Try Bigelow Green Tea with Lemon or Yogi Ginger Tea.
Get your flu shot:
This is for those staggler’s (like me), who haven’t done this yet. Better late than never, so get on it!
Take Time off When You Are Sick:
This is particularly important when you are physically sick. It’s no use to trying to drudge through life when you don’t have the energy. Email your professors right away. Take this time to catch up on some of that missed sleep, and drink lots of water, and recharge your body so you can return to your life as soon as possible!
Take Emergen C:
Just take it. Trust me, just do it. Keep a few packets of this stuff in your backpack and throw them into your water bottle every now and then. The powerpack of vitamins will keep your immune system kicking butt so you can worry less about getting sick. Plus, all that vitamin C!
Stay Active:
This will work wonders to keep you feeling good, and I don’t mean just physically. When you exercise, be a lot or a little, your brain produced the chemicals it needs in order to stay happy and on top of things. Your exercise routine doesn’t have to be anything extreme. Based on where you are at right now, make it realistic. For example, I am an avid runner that hasn’t run in *ahem* weeks due to school, so I am going to plan to start with a few short jogs later this weekend. For you, it may be to hit up the recreational center here on campus a few days a week before class, or simply take a walk around campus every now and then. Whatever it is for you, pick your best method of exercise and get moving!
Eat Healthy When You Can:
Easier said than done. But don’t give up on it. Give your body and brain the fuel it deserves—fresh fruits and veggies are rare in the college lifestyle, but when you get the chance to cook something healthy or grab a fruit instead of a candy bar, don’t let it slip by you. Everything counts. Also, check out the FoodMobile around campus during its monthly campus visits to pick up fresh produce and healthy brain food! Just make sure to treat your body right, give it the power food that it needs. It’s all in the intent.
Learning the art of balance to manage all aspects of your life is part of the college experience. You are fire and you know it, but all flames need fuel to keep burning. You have handled managing everything in your life so far, and there is no reason you can’t manage the most important aspect of all—Taking care of YOU. We are all in this together.