College can be such a mix of various feelings. It is exciting, scary, fascinating, stressful, and so much more. Staying happy and healthy can be quite a challenge. Especially for young people who are just learning to take care of themselves on their own. Nevertheless, college years can be the most memorable time in a person’s life. It takes just a bunch of good strategies to go through college with only happy memories. Students need to pay attention to a number of core areas in life that can sink or swim during their college experience. Here are the 4 top strategies for staying happy and healthy in college.
Healthy Food
Needless to say, food plays a crucial role in your wellbeing. Too often we start paying more attention to food only in concern of body weight. Though, there is more to your eating habits than keeping you thin. Food has the power to impact your physical health as well as a mental state. Certain groups of food can help you feel better, give you a lot of energy, improve your sleep, and lift your mood. Bad foods, on the other hand, can worsen your skin conditions, give you anxiety, insomnia, extra body weight, etc. If your eating habits are not well-thought-of, you may even not notice how much they affect your overall state. While in college, you need a lot of energy for your body and brain. Try to focus on more natural foods, eat more greens and less sugar. Drink a lot of water throughout the day. Include whole wheat products, nuts, and fish into your diet. These are great for your brain and energy level. Oh, and don’t think of skipping breakfast! It is the key meal for your mental health.
Sleep
Sleep is something most young people are chronically deprived of, especially when in college. This can have grave consequences for one’s health. A person needs to have a full night healthy sleep for multiple reasons. First, it gives your body rest. Second, it gives your brain rest. Third, it enhances good metabolism. The list can go on and on. To put it simply, your body recovers during the sleeping hours, while your brain gets prepared for a day ahead. Your mood and energy level have a direct correlation with your sleeping hours. So try to avoid all-nighters, have a daily routine. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time. This will not only improve the quality of your sleep but also help you build a daily schedule. Also, with such a routine, you will find it easier to wake up and fall asleep. Your brain gets used to the schedule and knows when to be active and when to rest. A bedtime routine can also help. Try to meditate, lightly stretch, or have a herbal tea in about 15 minutes before bed. That will calm you down and help you relax.
Exercises
Of course, by now you should know about the importance of physical exercises. Yes, it helps you stay fit and thin. Though, it does so much more than just that. Regular exercises can improve your mood, raise your energy, and prevent various health issues. Exercising can even help you study better. How? Well, every time you sit at your desk for hours, try to take 5-minutes breaks once in a while for a brief stretch or cardio. This will prevent you from a study block, as well as having a neck, shoulders, and back pains. This will also give you a flow of energy to keep ongoing. So instead of wondering, “who can help me with my math homework?”, try to do some sit-ups! It will rush blood to your head, give you a boost of energy and confidence. It will not solve your math homework, though, it will surely increase your chances of success. While choosing exercises, pick something you enjoy doing. It can be anything you fancy, like yoga, boxing, cycling, and more. Even a half an hour of crazy dancing moves in front of a mirror can do.
Social Habits
Our relationships are crucial to our overall well being. There’s no doubt in that. Yet, when in college, students tend to give their relationships secondary importance. This is a major mistake. Our friends and family are there to help us go through changes and hardships. They serve as the main support system the one can get. Hence, neglecting those bonds in college would be foolish. Spending time with those you love will positively affect your mental health, reduce your stress level, and remind you about the more important things than classes and homework. Things like love, family, and friendship. Also, our social circle can help us in case we experience any mental health issues. They are often the firsts to notice when something is going wrong.
