While it can be a thrilling time for many people, it can also present challenges that include social pressures to conform or experiment with alcohol and other drugs, challenges finding a balance between work and life, impostor syndrome, and lack of sleep.
College students could also feel isolated from their social networks back home as they meet different people, cultures, as well as life experiences.
These changes can put college students at risk of developing a mental health issue, such as depression and anxiety. Stress caused by school can even exacerbate existing mental health issues.
7 Tips to Stay healthy in college
Although the transition from high school to college can be difficult and stressful, students generally adjust to their new environment. As a mental health on campus provider, I have compiled seven guidelines to help achieve a smooth transition to college and to maintain your balance and health throughout your time as an undergraduate.
1. Get Enough Sleep
It’s often as if there’s not enough time in the time for college students to be able to do everything they’d like to do. This includes going to school, learning as a social group, working as a sports player, or engaging in extracurricular activities. In this world of constant work, sleep can be the first thing to go.Read here college paper writer At our site
In college, it’s practically an act of honour to stay up all night. At the end of the day, however, it doesn’t matter how you feel about it or how many more hours you could be studying through staying awake — having enough sleep is essential to your well-being and your health which includes your grade.
The best method to enhance your sleeping habits is to implement better sleep hygiene. Here are some suggestions to help you get a greater quality sleep.
- Sleep and get up at the same time every day
- Don’t drink caffeine too late at night
- Try not to nap during the entire day.
- Use your bed solely to sleep
2. Exercise Regularly
Exercise can help with your sleep , and can improve your general fitness. The relationship between exercise and students will differ. There are those who exercise to relieve stress and are able to fit it in , even when active, whereas some make it among the things they first try they be put off once they begin to feel overwhelmed.
If you’re in the top category, make sure you’re using exercise as a healthy method of coping and that you’re exercising properly enough to harm your body or losing too much weight.
If you belong to the second category I recommend finding ways to incorporate exercise into your everyday routine, even if it’s just taking a walk around campus.
3. Eat a Balanced Diet
The college experience can be a challenge if you’re using eating halls and not cooking your own meals, or when financial resources limit your food choices. In the Center for Young Women’s Health and Nutritious Life offers helpful guides for evaluating your food choices.
One of the most important aspects to eating well is knowing that due to odd studying hours and the schedule of classes, you might feel hungry at odd moments. Try to bring healthy snacks like carrots bananas in addition to nuts, dried fruit and chips made of kale.
College is a challenging time for people suffering from issues with eating. This is because restricting what you consume, eating in a binge, and even purging are all tied to self-esteem and control. If you’re stressed by school, you may begin to feel overwhelmed and self-conscious about yourself.
If you’re seeing yourself falling into unhealthy patterns of behavior, be it recent or not, you should make an appointment with one of the mental health provider or primary care physician at your school health center as soon as possible.
4. Plan time for self-care
It’s easy to forget to take care of your health in college. But no matter how busy you are it is important to know how to schedule time to do something you like or that will relax you. Some may enjoy getting massages, seeing movies, or engaging in a hobby. Others might prefer yoga or trying mindfulness.
Students can benefit greatly by focusing on the present and now, particularly when anxious or stressed. Take a look at a meditation app to improve your mindfulness.
5. Recognize the risk of Substance Usage
Students in colleges often feel pressure to experiment with drugs as well as alcohol. This is especially true considering the normalization of binge drinking on college campuses, society’s changing attitudes towards marijuana use and the growing popularity of vaping.
It’s important for students to know the risks to health that come with the use of drugs. Ultimately, you should be making educated, not socially determined, decisions.
For instance, while many students might believe that marijuana is harmless however, the drug has many risks, primarily in regards to mental health. Be sure to keep a close eye on your behaviors, including how often you take drugs or consume alcohol.
It’s recommended to attend outside parties and look for other ways to hang around with friends that don’t contain alcohol and/or drugs.
6. The importance of Sexual Health and Safety
Sexual health is an additional aspect of overall health. Students should take care to have safer sex and be aware of the various methods of protection and birth control. Students should also know how to obtain STD tests at their college health center.
Students must also be aware how to discuss consent and safety within intimate relations. Unfortunately, sexual assault remains the most frequent issue on college campuses.
Some schools offer bystander training programs, which instruct students how to react whenever they observe a brutal crime or assault. Such programs can also teach students about the reporting procedures on campus as well as ways to treat mental illness to those who’ve suffered trauma.
7. Make yourself Health Literate
One of college students’ biggest obstacles is learning to take control of their health. This means that you should be confident about these things:
- Scheduling appointments for doctor online over the phone, in person
- Discussion of health conditions and possible treatments
- Utilizing basic health terminology
- Asking doctors questions
- In addition to refilling prescriptions, you can take medications.
Ideally, students will discuss about their health with parents/guardians before they get to campus, especially if they’re already taking medication or have chronic health issue. However, even students who aren’t suffering from health issues can benefit from this conversation.
Understand Mental Health and How to Find Help
Health conditions that affect the mind are debilitating. They may make students face academic and social difficulties. Here are some suggestions for helping you and your colleagues.
Recognize the Signs and Symptoms of mental Health conditions
The symptoms of a mental issue include changes to sleeping patterns and eating patterns as well as the development of new behaviors such as engaging in reckless behavior or refusing to socialize. It is also possible to notice fluctuations in your mood and/or your speech, such as speaking really quickly or struggling to make an encapsulated story.
Any time you feel that there is a change in how you are feeling, it’s a good idea to start tracking your mood on a worksheet or an app. If your mood seems to be constantly fluctuating or is affecting your normal life, you should make an appointment with a specialist in mental health.