5 Ways To Stay Healthy In College

College is a time to have fun, learn a lot, play a lot, make new friends, and seek out opportunities. How are you supposed to do that if you’re down and out with the flu?  You can’t. Here are 5 tips to keep you healthy and happy while you enjoy your college years.

1. Wash Your Hands.  Your grandma was right. Washing your hands before you eat and while you’re in the bathroom will keep you from inadvertently infecting yourself with bacteria and germs.  When you go to a restaurant, excuse yourself from the table to freshen up before your food arrives.  Freshen up before you hit the cafeteria, too.  Keeping your hands clean can keep you from getting mono, the flu, and myriad tummy problems.
   
2. Are Their Hands Washed?  Part of the fun of going out with friends is finding those sketchy restaurants with surprisingly delicious food.  Some of your best stories may come from your experiences in these noble food establishments. Before you order your meal, however, check out the restroom (while you freshen up, of course) and see if it looks like the employees are keeping it clean. Does the hot and cold water work? Is there soap? Is the restroom reasonably clean? Food poisoning and Hepatitis are both a drag (and your vaccines only work for Hepatitis A and B) – you don’t want to deal with them if you don’t have to. Speaking of Hepatitis C, you can get it sharing needles (this includes getting a tat), sex with an infected partner, or even sharing toothbrushes or razors with an infected roomie.
3. Don’t Forget Your Veggies.  The cafeteria is filled with all sorts of good smelling, mediocre food. While you struggle to eat those entrées made for you with such loving apathy, don’t forget to pick up tons of vegetables. Your plate should be at least half filled with fruits and vegetables…and then you do have to eat them if you want the benefits of the vitamins and minerals they are holding. Not only will this tip keep you healthy, it can keep you from putting on the Freshman 15 (or the Senior 30) everyone is talking about.
4. Go To Sleep, Derp.  Sleep is still important; even though there are way too many fun things to do in addition to all that homework they keep piling on. Just remember that you still need to get your sleep. Everyone needs differing amounts of sleep – you have an idea of how much sleep you need to be at the top of your game. If you find yourself using Adderall and Red Bull to get your homework done, you are doing this wrong and need to rethink your game. 
   
5. Stay On Top Of Your Homework.  You probably can’t remain drama-free if you have friends or roommates but you can keep your stress levels low by doing your homework. Turning in late assignments is stressful, facing your professor when you haven’t completed your assignments is stressful, facing your angry parents when discussing your poor grades is stressful – so don’t do this to yourself. A poorly written assignment turned in on time usually receives a better grade than a well written assignment turned in late.  Better yet, turn in a well written assignment and get that A.
   

BONUS:  For girls only. Don’t use that gross recycled toilet paper supplied for you in the public bathrooms around the school. They often include heat sensitive paper (and other stuff that is absolutely not friendly to “Australia”) and can leave you miserable down there forever.

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