College can be a demanding time. Sometimes, you are so busy juggling class, homework, a job, social activities, etc. that health and self-care often fall to the bottom of the priority list. Here are three tips to stay healthy in college:
#1 Time Management and Planning
Be aware of how you spend your time. Accept that you can only do two of the following things: get 8 hours of sleep a night, make a great GPA or spend all the time you want hanging out with friends. Set aside time during the week to work on your papers and study for exams. This way you can spend your weekends hanging out with your friends.
#2 Practice Stress-Relieving Techniques
According to the American Psychological Association, 61 percent of college students seeking counseling report anxiety, 49 percent report depression and 45 percent report stress.
Relaxation techniques are very effective at reducing stress and anxiety. This can be anything from exercise, to yoga, listening to music, and going to therapy. The main thing to remember is to focus on taking care of yourself.
#3 Take a digital detox
Our electronic devices have become an integral and necessary part of students’ lives. Need access to the classroom portal? access is online. Check your grades? Online. When is the next club meeting? You may need to use Instagram to find out.
Most college students feel pressure to stay connected to their digital devices, but ironically more than half of college students report feeling lonely even when they are active online.
Here are some tips that can help you take a break from your digital device:
- Pay attention to how much time you spend online, and that can be motivating in and of itself.
- Close your laptop and take written notes during class. This can help with memory-recall as opposed to using your laptop for note taking.
- Study with a friend and put both of your phones away. This way you hold each other accountable.