At a certain point in the fall semester, the energy around campus often seems to taper off. This is because it gets dark outside earlier, the weather grows cold and now that midterm grades are in, the class workloads continue full steam ahead. During this time, it’s more important than ever to keep yourself healthy, which includes being well-fed. With all of these obstacles in place, it can be hard to want to do this because it feels like a chore. However, eating right should be part of your daily routine because it will set you on a good track for the rest of the semester. Here are some things to keep in mind:
why it matters, especially now
This is a stressful time. Holiday breaks are on the horizon but they’re not here yet. Election Day is also a stressor for some, even if campuses being closed will grant some welcome mid-week relief. The amount of schoolwork tends to increase. The “autumn blues” make the season harder to manage. For many, this often tends to be a difficult part of the year. This is why it’s critical to maintain your strength and feed yourself substantial food. You have a responsibility to yourself to ensure you are healthy and nourished.
We’ve been told this several times throughout our lives but it’s important to remember. According to the CDC, consistent and healthy eating has a ton of benefits, including a supported digestive system and a supported immune system (this one is quite relevant in a fraught time of variants and flu season). And while the balance of healthy eating is hard to keep all the time, it’s more important that you at least get a fairly regular intake of nutrient-rich foods, rather than mainly consuming processed ones.
everything is available to you
I’m comparatively old-fashioned in that I like to flip through my cookbooks for dishes that I want to make, but of course there are a million recipes and tutorials online. It can actually be even more helpful online because through comment sections and copy-cat recipes, you can hear from people who have actually tested these recipes and what to look out for and what to avoid.
Make things that you enjoy eating! I often gravitate toward dishes that sound complex but only take a few ingredients and very little prep work (shrimp scampi, quesadillas, frittatas, spinach orzo bakes). It allows me to feel accomplished and have a filling meal ready in only a short amount of time.
prepare for those lazy days
It’s helpful to have a few recipes on hand that you can rotate throughout the weeks. It helps to know that I don’t have to root through a million possibilities and can instead pick from a few select recipes that I already know I enjoy.
save time and money (when possible)
Frozen items and takeout are convenient time-savers but many frozen foods aren’t very filling and takeout is often an unreasonable money vacuum (as much as I love Five Guys, why am I paying almost $20 for a burger and fries if it’s just for myself). When I do choose to indulge in time-saver foods, particularly those that are high in carbs or fat, I’ll eat something healthy first, so at least there’s a little more balance.
SMALL MOTIVATIONS ARE BEst
The idea of always being 100% driven to get things done is a result of “hustle culture” rather than a legitimate understanding of motivation as a series of peaks and valleys. There will inevitably be days where you just don’t feel like taking care of yourself, but you need to at the very least take on the small things because they matter. Take care of yourself. Self-care is self-love.