College Student Health

College Student Health Tips and Advice

College is a really great opportunity for most students to finally get away from home and live independently. However, one thing many students seem to forget is that mom is not there to remind them that it is time to get a flu shot, to eat properly and more. Here are some college student health tips for those who are seeking a little independent knowledge on the topic of healthy living in college.

Get your vaccinations before leaving for college
Ok so now you are living in the dorm and have all those new people, but don’t know exactly where they came from. A great idea in this case would be to find out which vaccinations the school would recommend, or even call mom and dad. They would probably be glad to help. One recommended vaccination for college would be the classic meningitis vaccine.

Eat healthy
It can get pretty busy in college with school, social life, and even work. But one thing that needs to be remembered is to eat regularly and eat healthy. The dorm food can in many cases be a little…questionable. However, there is usually more there than just the French fries and burgers. Try to maintain a healthy diet and keep your body strong through out the year in order to perform well on exams as well as help ward off the ever aggressive illnesses that seem to plague college campuses every year. Be sure to take vitamins regularly.

Make sure you get enough sleep
Here is an unusual one for many students. Get plenty of sleep. Many students tend to ignore this when in all actuality it only harms your body and makes you more susceptible to illness year round. It’s never any fun getting sick at school especially when living in the dorm with an irritated roommate who is desperately trying not to get sick as well.
Lots of sleep will also help students prepare more thoroughly for exams.

Exercise routine
Help boost your immune system by keeping a regular exercise schedule in addition to walking to class every day. It can be hard sometimes with a busy schedule full of exams and deadlines, but if you have the time then try to use it for at least 20-30 minutes of cardio at the school gym. It will not only help keep the weight off and have you looking great for spring break festivities, but also help keep you from getting ill and having to miss classes.

Keep hands clean (especially in or around winter)
During the winter, it can get especially important to keep your hands clean as this is when all the germs are freely floating throughout the air as the warmer air’s moisture is gone until it warms up. Try to keep a little bottle of hand sanitizer on you as germs spread the quickest with your hands touching your face. You don’t need to be a germophobe, but try to keep yourself safe from any germs that could have you in bed for weeks.

Keep hydrated
With college usually comes a lot more dehydration due to heavier consumption of alcohol, coffee, and just plain forgetfulness when it comes to things like hydration due to the strains placed on you studies-wise. We all know that dehydration can cause a lot of stresses on our body including headaches. Try to keep a bottle of water on you at all times as this will allow you to keep on sipping away as you move about the campus.

Be prepared for the weather
Make sure you bring plenty of winter clothes to college with you. You never know when that nasty weather may hit. And if you have to walk to class every day you may not appreciate a sudden 30 degree drop in temperature. In addition, it may seem comfortable to wear shorts in 50 degree weather, but it would be best to stay warm and try to stay as healthy as you can throughout the year.

Be cautious in community restrooms
Some restrooms can be pretty disgusting at the dorms. Even though the janitorial service usually comes in daily, they aren’t there at night and can’t protect you from whatever just landed on the wet sink. Remember that there are a lot of people using the college dorm bathrooms and it would be a good idea to wear flip flops in the shower and be sure to wash your hands each time you touch anything in the dorm restroom.

Keep your room clean
Be sure to keep the dorm room clean is anything has spilled or papers are on the floor. Dust, papers, and whatever that stuff is by the door can attract all sorts of insects and little bugs and no one needs any type of infestation in such close quarters. Try to keep things organized and neat as well as cleaning dishes and washing bed sheets and clothes in order to help alleviate the visitations by my dorm room dust mite friends who just love dirty dorm rooms with plenty of places to hide.