Coming into college as a first year, I tended to look at the upperclassmen and wonder every day of my first semester how the heck do they do it? Coming into college was beyond overwhelming! Having to balance the major I chose (which I was not happy in), living on my own for the first time, figuring out who I am as a person, finding new friends, as well as being an athlete/ having extracurricular activities was challenging. It took me an entire year to come to a healthy balance considering the emotional roller coaster was up, down and around.
I was so focused on my major I was trying to work through, that I completely disregarded my mental and physical health in all aspects. I know everyone says watch out for the freshman 15 blah blah, but it is so real. I was so focused on so many other things I completely overlooked taking care of myself mentally and physically. Second semester I ended up a health promotion major, nearing the end of the semester I knew it was time to practice what I would be preaching.
How did I get it together? I can really thank my parents for helping me come to this realization. I knew if I wanted to really be happy with myself I had to take control of the situation and put myself first before anything. This summer I started seeing a weight loss doctor and turned my whole lifestyle around. What better place to do this than the comfort of your home.
I started doing things as simple as prioritizing 45 minutes out of my day for the gym and thinking about the healthier food options. Meal prepping as well as drinking at least 64oz of water a day and taking a daily multivitamin along with vitamin C were crucial. Once I started making a conscious effort to implement these changes into my everyday routine it just felt normal. Now, if I said being 19-years-old and trying to balance this whole lifestyle change with working, hanging with friends, and going on trips etc. was an easy process, I would be lying. When I realized this was just a way of life and not another job I needed to worry about, I was able to seriously changed my life around.
So, summer goes by and we’re fast forwarding to like three weeks ago. We are moving back to college. I became so comfortable with the way I changed things at home I was so nervous about carrying those habits over to college. Three weeks in I’ve just been living life like I was back home.
Granted, I have certainly had to go on a scavenger hunt for food options in the dining hall and food places on campus but have figured out how to make it work. I’ve also found a new love for food and educating people on how healthy balanced eating can be yummy. So full circle around is being the overall healthy, social, productive, and hardworking girly in college easy.
ABSOLUTELY NOT. Have I fully figured out this whole balanced lifestyle to the tee? Not 100 percent, but I do hope this maybe gives some underclassmen a little hope that we all go through it one way or another.