University. It is the place of fresh starts, where students go in with blank slates- all hoping to establish a persona of themselves that hasn’t been tarnished by their high school years. University is where we get the chance to reinvent ourselves, explore other interests and hobbies, and pick up the knowledge that we’ll either use or won’t use in our adult years.

The moments that we spend in this place can potentially be some of the best or worst of our lives. It depends on the choices we make, particularly the ones that have the power to affect our physical and mental states.

To keep yourself happy and healthy in university, check out the following tips below.

Organize Your Space

A universal truth: not everyone can stay at home and commute to and from the campus. Some students leave their home’s comfort to rent a dorm or condo in Katipunan or somewhere near their school. If you’re the same, you know that you have no one to rely on but yourself in maintaining your accommodations.

The cleanliness of their space is one of the things that many students neglect when they get to college. That shouldn’t be the case since clutter can cause harm to both mind and body. Dirt piling up can cause illness or infection, and a messy environment doesn’t lead to clear minds.

To have a better stay at your dorm or condo, carve out time in your busy schedule to pick up after yourself once in a while.

Read More: How to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Schedule Time for Rest

It’s becoming more common for students to boast about their sleepless nights, most spent completing their workload and then some. While the lack of sleep can make you feel more accomplished, it can be extremely detrimental to your health. That is because you’re not giving yourself the time to recuperate from the stresses of daily life. Moreover, it can affect your studies since you’re not allowing your brain to process everything you’ve learned throughout the day.

Instead of going for broken naps every one to two hours, try to finish everything earlier in the day so that you can spend the afternoon or evening catching up on much-needed sleep.

Invest In Your Health

“Freshman fifteen” refers to the weight that most students gain in their first year of college. Several things can cause this weight gain, overeating due to stress, drinking more alcohol, etc.

Regardless of what caused the weight gain, you can try to mitigate it by eating more healthy foods. If you can cook, go grocery shopping at the beginning of the week for enough ingredients that you can prep your meals for the rest of the week. Doing this may be time-consuming at the beginning but will ultimately help you save money and eat more healthily compared to eating out often.

When snacking, try to reach for mixed nuts or granola bars instead of the typical chips, too. These snacks are not only healthier than junk foods but can fuel your brain as well. Additionally, drink more water instead of sugary drinks. Doing this can cut back on your sugar intake.

As for exercise, it’s understandable if much of your time is dedicated to your academics and extracurricular activities. One way to get around this is by walking or biking more frequently instead of taking public transit or pooling to get to places. Another method you can try is yoga in the morning; this helps you stretch out your limbs and gives you time to clear your head before class.

Staying healthy in college can be a difficult feat but not an impossible one. One thing to remember while endeavoring to keep fit is that a little goes a long way. An hour every day spent working on yourself instead of studying is an investment to your future as well.

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