I love February, but I’ve especially loved this February. In the past, I’ve dropped my new year’s resolutions by the time February has begun, but this year, I’ve worked hard to keep them up. My main resolution was to be healthy, both mentally and physically. I’ve worked hard to do well in my classes and to get enough sleep, but I’ve also kept up eating well and working out. Staying healthy in college used to be a struggle for me, but I think I finally found my groove.

I didn’t want to try and change myself or my life too much, because in actuality it’s hard to just wake up one day and change your routine, but gradually changing little things is a lot easier and more realistic. I’ve started eating better. I cut out lots of fatty food, pop, and a lot of sugar, and I’ve tried to eat more leafy greens and fruit, and to drink more water. I’ve also started going to the gym at least four times a week.

Changing your routine and staying healthy is a lot easier when you have a work out buddy, or someone to help keep you from straying or stopping altogether. My freshman and sophomore years, I always told myself to go to the gym, but I never actually went, or kept up the routine of going. This year, however, my roommate also decided to eat healthy and workout, so I have someone to go to meals with, and go to the PERC with. It’s also great to have that person to tell you it’s okay if you miss a day of working out, or decide to splurge and go to McDonalds.

There are a ton of different things you can do to stay healthy in college, and you don’t have to do all of them. Even just one thing, changing your routine in one way, to stay healthy would be an awesome goal. I try to adopt a new habit to stay healthy at least once a month. What will you do?

Top 5 Ways to Stay Healthy in College

1. Get enough sleep. It’s important to get enough sleep as a college student in order to be alert and feel rested for classes, work, athletics, etc. And the magic number of hours of sleep is different for each person, even so, try to get a much sleep as you need to be refreshed when you wake up.
2. Drink water. Water. Water. Seriously, drink your water. Drinking soda and sugary drinks 24/7 is really really bad for you and will make you feel sluggish all day. If you’re not a fan of water, try tea, or adding lemon or mint to your water.
3. Watch what you eat. Diet plays a HUGE role in being healthy, and it really is true “you are what you eat.” Eating unhealthy foods will also leave you feel sluggish all day. So if you eat mainly vegetables, lean meats, and fruits, you’re going to have so much more energy and feel so much better than someone who eats burgers, pizza, and chips at every meal. Also allow yourself to “cheat” and eat your favorite food now and then. You don’t have to cut out all your favorite junk food, just monitor and be cautious of when and how much you eat.
4. Get some exercise. Even though not many people actually want to work out or go to the gym, exercise is really important in being healthy. And the PERC is included in tuition, so take advantage of that and don’t let your money go to waste.
5. Don’t get sick. Whether it’s taking vitamins or eating foods to boost your immune system (citrus, broccoli, garlic, spinach, yogurt, and almonds), making sure your body is healthy to avoid getting sick is really important. In college, it’s so easy to catch a bug or a cold since everyone is living and spending time in such close spaces. All the other tips on staying healthy also help you avoid getting sick.

All these tips, whether all together or standing alone, will help you stay healthy, and get even healthier.

“Eat clean. Stay fit. And have a burger to stay sane.” - Gigi Hadid


Hannah Brown '18 is from Yellow Springs, Ohio. She is majoring in Peace Studies with a focus on Social Justice. She also works as a Student Ambassador at Manchester.