Student Life and Health

How to be a healthy student

It is not uncommon or necessarily wrong for a student starting at university to embrace the amount of freedom and independence they have after leaving the nagging parents.

By Harry Stow, University of Winchester

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It is unwise however, for you as a student to not take care of yourself and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Going out, drinking and eating takeaways are fun things to do in moderation, but why not stop for a second and think about your poor body. Your body can take so much abuse, but let’s give it a break by thinking about healthier eating habits and regularly exercising.

When you have lectures at 9 and then again at 12, oh and that group meeting at 3.30, it can become very hard to find time to eat. It is not good for your health to try and muddle through until the evening, so be sure to either ensure you have money to grab a sandwich from university or make a packed lunch.

You don’t need to spend lots of money to eat healthily. Fruit and veg are not very expensive, and why not team up with a housemate so you don’t up with mouldy apples by the end of the month. It is very important you have a balanced diet, and why not pick up some tips and recipes from mum and dad to make cooking not seem so dull.

Regular exercise is essential in maintaining good mental and physical health. Do you really need to drive to uni or town? By walking to and from uni, you are exercising and staying healthy. Simple as that! Many of us “join a gym” but how many of us go to the gym. Going to the gym or playing other sports is a great way to meet people, clear the stresses of the day and improve your fitness.

This isn’t here to nag you. It is here to show you how easy it is to make small changes to your lifestyle that can positively affect your physical and mental well-being.