Everyones heard of the dreaded “freshman 15”, a horror story spread by many. The freshman 15 refers weight gain that often happens to first time freshman. People rarely fail to mention the mental toll your mind can take as well. I’m going to give you my best suggestions on how to keep your entire spirit healthy in college.
1.) Find a way to make what you like healthy
Here me out, I am someone that absolutely despises vegetables. My friends have a running joke that I don’t eat food if it’s green. But if you are a picky eater like me, that doesn’t mean you still can’t make healthier choices. If you’re eating at the dining hall, they really do have something for everybody. They have an array of fruit, which really appealed to me. Try to just make conscious choices. Instead of having fried chicken, get a sandwich on wheat! Instead of having mac and cheese and pizza, try an omelet or a burrito with whole grain rice. Easy fixes and choices can be made, just don’t go for the most fattening menu item everytime.
2.) Make conscious dorm food choices
Do not, and I repeat do not, load up your dorm with tons of unnecessary junk food. This will curse you as it becomes so easily accessible, that sometimes you can’t stop yourself from eating it. Instead, arm your dorm with food that may be a little on the healthier side! This could be granola bars, yogurt, trail mix, string cheese etc. You will thank yourself, when you don’t come back at midnight and suddenly find yourself eating three bags of chips.
3.) Take Some Time to be Alone
In respect to keeping your mind healthy, it is important to remember to take time to just be with yourself. College can get pretty crazy and often times things seem like things are always just go! go! go! That’s why sometimes you just need some alone time in your dorm to sit and reflect. This is a form of self-mediation, and can really help in de-stressing. Especially during finals and exams, sometimes you need to realize that you need and deserve a break.
4.) Make Sure to Get Enough Sleep
This is something that seems very simple, but is also very important. Not getting enough sleep literally does not allow your body to process and hold new information. Pulling an all nighter is really not healthy at all, maybe once in a blue-moon, but not frequently! Try not to stay out too late if there’s really no reason; your body will thank you for it in the morning! I also found taking naps to be very beneficial for me, if you feel as if you’re missing out on some much needed sleep.
Overall, I hope you can take these tips and apply them to your own experience! Not only is it important to have a healthy body, but a healthy mind and soul as well.