For college freshmen and college students in general, the four years spent at a university are some of the most important years of our lives because they shape our future. It is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of events that go on around us and forget to take a minute to step back and breathe and take care of ourselves. There are things that you have to remember besides all of the homework that you have to do.
Remember to eat healthy. The "freshman 15" does not have to be a real thing if you don't let it become a real thing. I know that dining hall food is not always the most appetizing so reaching for Chick-fil-a every day may see like the go-to move, but there are always alternative options--you just have to search for them. Making sure to get enough protein, vitamins and iron is important, especially when we tend to get caught up in the events of a day and accidentally skip meals. Watching how much alcohol you drink is also an important factor, because alcohol, especially beer in particular contains a large amount of calories. College students often do not keep track of how much they are drinking and as a result it tends to have a negative toll on their bodies.
Exercise and stay in shape. One of the free resources on practically every college campus is a gym, and most of the time there are multiple. Yet even with this easy access, students rarely take advantage of it. A 30 minute cardio routine once a week helps more than most think. It is so easy to be lazy in college and lose motivation, especially if you live on a campus where transportation such as a bus is available to use. There are so many apps and websites available that offer easy workout plans that there really is no excuse for not working to stay in shape. If you have a hard time staying motivated, find a friend to workout with you.
Establish a nightly facial/body routine. Hygiene is extremely important and because of the amount of stress in student's lives, acne sometimes becomes more of a problem in college. Find products that you like and wash your face every night, followed by a moisturizing ritual. This can often be difficult to keep up with because long nights often are followed by the extreme urge to throw your books off of the bed and fall asleep. But taking a break from homework to take care of your body is important, and your body will let you know when you aren't doing a good job with it. Setting an alarm on your phone can be helpful as it helps break you out of whatever you are doing and remind you to give your skin some TLC.
Do activities that lessen your stress level. Find books to read on your own time for pleasure. Pick up yoga or some kind of Zumba class. Art and coloring can be very therapeutic and often tend to help people focus on something other than what is stressing them out. Finding recipes to cook or spending time with friends doing something. Baths usually are not an option in college but they do help greatly with relieving stress.
Make time for yourself. This is probably one of the most important things to remember while in college, yet one of the least followed things. We get so caught up in our daily lives with classes, clubs, work and homework that we often forget to take time out of the day for ourselves, sit back and relax.
Making sure that you are okay and you are taking care of your mind and your body while in college is crucial. Don't let yourself get so swept away in everything that college is that you end up forgetting to remember your own self care. Self love is so so so important, so please take care of yourself!
