Eating well and staying healthy
You’re certainly not in danger of starving on a college campus. In fact,
while you’re busy socializing, studying, and hanging out with friends,
you’re more likely to skip the sleep, exercise, and healthy food you need.
This leaves you tired, stressed out, and vulnerable to illness. While it’s
easier said than done when confronted with a late-night birthday celebration
the day before an exam, do what you can to use your newfound freedom to create
a balanced life for yourself—a life that includes eating healthy, sleeping,
and exercising. This will help your class performance and keep you happy and
in good health. |
Meal plans
Living in residence halls means never having to worry about
what to eat. On most college campuses, you’ll be asked
to sign up for room and board—the board part covers your
meals. The cafeteria will be close by—inside the hall,
in an adjacent building, or in a building near the residence
hall. It will generally serve an entrée or two along
with options such as sandwiches, cereal, a salad bar, and desserts,
so you can always find something you like to eat.
You may have meal plan options. Some campuses will have unlimited dining, some
will have a plan where you can eat three meals a day in the dining hall. Some
will offer you the choice of just two meals a day. For you light eaters or those
who are just always on the run, you may be able to select a one-meal-a-day option.
Tip: If you miss the cafeteria hours or the
meal plan just doesn’t work for you, you may be able to cook in your dorm.
Some residence halls have kitchens where students can prepare food and take it
back to their rooms. Remember to
clean up the kitchen for the next cook.
Avoiding the Freshman 15…or
40
The first time you visit a college campus you may notice one thing—the
students are bigger than you. Maybe a lot bigger. In part, they are older.
But in part, they’re gorging on cafeteria food, ordering pizzas for
late-night study sessions, and socializing way more than exercising. This
is the “freshman 15” weight gain—or in worst-case scenarios
the “freshman 40”—you may have heard about. Just being
aware of how this happens can help. Make good choices
in the cafeteria, avoid excessive snacking, drink plenty of water, and
work exercise into your schedule. Avoid the freshman 15 and you’ll
feel better, have more energy—and you won’t need a new wardrobe
you have no time or money to buy anyway! |
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Sleeping
and exercising
Ordering a late-night pizza with hallmates, listening to a friend’s problems,
cranking out papers all night, and rushing off to an off-campus job…these
are daily occurrences that will keep you from getting the sleep and exercise
you need. Studying and socializing are both time-consuming and sedentary tasks.
Try to leave enough time in your schedule to get the amount of sleep you need—and
we’re not even going to try to tell you how many hours—and find time
for some sort of fitness activity. The campus, no doubt, has exercise facilities
and intramural sports clubs that you can check out for little or no cost. If
nothing else, you’ll probably be walking or biking around campus a lot. |
Getting sick
Living with a lot of other people means bacteria and viruses spread—quickly
and often. To keep from getting sick, get enough rest, wash your hands a lot,
wash your bedding, and don’t share food or drinks. Things to watch out
for include stomach flu, mononucleosis, influenza, sinus infections, and conjunctivitis
(pink eye). Find out if the campus has a health clinic, and whether it makes
sense to go there when you’re sick or find a local doctor. In addition,
if the clinic is offering flu shots or other preventive care, look into it. And
we can’t
say it enough—wear those flip-flops in the shower. |
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