8 Health Tips for College Freshmen

If you’re just beginning your college career, you’re more than likely thrilled to be out on your own. Finally you’re in charge of yourself and can do whatever you like. You may also be a little scared because you’re facing the unknown. The fact that there isn’t going to be anybody looking over your shoulder and telling what to do is a double-edged sword. There will be temptations galore, and your health could suffer. Following are a few health tips for college freshmen.

Eat Right

Generally speaking, if you’re in good health, all you need to do is live a healthy lifestyle to stay that way. Eating right is instrumental in doing that. You will be surrounded by people who embrace the freedom of making their own choices by disregarding their overall health and living on pizza and pop. Don’t give into the temptation of doing the same thing. Instead you should make sure you eat regularly, and eat right. A well-balanced diet is essential if you hope to maintain the degree of health you now enjoy.

Get Plenty of Exercise

Hand in hand with eating right is the need to get plenty of exercise if you hope to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Because you’re young and full of energy, you may be tempted to lay off the exercise a bit, particularly if it takes away from your studies. Setting aside the time to have a regular, vigorous workout can be hard to do, but it’s necessary. Keeping to a schedule, especially with so many distractions, can be difficult. You may figure that the necessity to get to classes on time is enough of a schedule, and allow your exercise routine to decline. Don’t do it.

Get Enough Sleep

Everyone has heard the horror stories of the necessity of pulling an all-nighter in order to study for a test. Although college courses will require a great degree of study time, you need to get enough sleep. If you don’t regulate your sleep patterns your health will suffer. You may end up overly tired which will make studying difficult at best. Instead, you need to make sure you’re well rested.

Don’t Drink Too Much

Other horror stories associated with the college life include the propensity to party at the drop of a hat. The consumption of alcohol has contributed to the decline and fall of many a college career. The temptation to be one of the ‘in crowd’ and party excessively will be ever present during your college days. Your overall health--and your grades--could suffer greatly. If you drink to excess too many times, you’ll more than likely suffer from tremendous hangovers that can become debilitating. You could end up not getting enough sleep, give up on exercise, and develop poor eating habits.

Have Regular Checkups

Being out on your own for the first times means you’ll be responsible for your own health care. There won’t be anyone to make sure you schedule regular medical or dental checkups, and there certainly won’t be anyone but you that’ll make sure you keep the appointments if they are scheduled. Most schools have a fairly good medical clinic on campus, and you should make use of them as the need arises. Letting yourself suffer through treatable illnesses isn’t wise, especially if the care you need is close by.

Stay Clean

It may sound trite, but keeping yourself clean is absolutely necessary if you hope to maintain your health. Bathing regularly and washing your hands before meals is just as important now as it was when you lived at home. Just because you’re all grown up and on your own doesn’t mean the germs that cause diseases have gone on vacation.

Keep Your Room and Clothes Clean

The same thing can be said about keeping your room and your clothes clean; Germs are everywhere, and they don’t discriminate. Everyone is susceptible to catching a cold or the flu, and it’s a proven fact that washing the surfaces you come into contact with, which includes everything in your room and your clothing, will help kill the germs that are out to get you.

Keep Your Medical Needs Current

Because you will be coming in contact with any number of people on a daily basis you should make sure you’re vaccinated. Make an appointment with your physician before leaving for college and keep your vaccinations current. If that’s not possible be sure you make an appointment at the college clinic. The doctors there will need to have access to your medical records.