The number of children going to college has grown steadily for the past fifty years. From a parent’s standpoint their children are leaving the home for the first time, and many are ill prepared for the realities of life on their own. Despite the financial, emotional, and physical preparations, many students are simply not ready for the day to day struggles of life away from home.
Improper hygiene and the lack of good eating habits is one of the major causes of illness with college students. It’s true that students try to survive on mac-n-cheese and soda, but these type of eating habits can affect the student’s overall health. Combine poor eating with too much drinking and not enough sleep, and it’s a wonder that college students are continually at the health center. With only a few minor changes and instruction, the health of our youth at college can be vastly improved.
Encourage your kids to get regular checkups. With all the sicknesses that go around it’s important to guard against the ever-present flu and cold viruses through proper hygiene. Simply washing your hands can ward off many potential threats. There are a few services to help beyond the campus health clinic; services like the school medical center can provide a wide range of answers to important health issues.
Some people might believe that just because you’re studying medicine, you’ll be far better prepared to avoid being sick. Maybe your child is medically-minded, already looking to change from an online paramedic to rn (Registered Nurse)! But still, even medical students get sick sometimes!
Make sure your students get vaccinated and that their vaccinations are up to date, especially if they plan on taking any exciting holiday excursions out of the country. But even if they don’t travel, the close proximity to so many other students makes vaccinations imperative.
Fight fatigue by getting plenty of restful sleep. Insufficient sleep can negatively affect the brain processes, making test taking and even attentiveness in class a serious problem. Encourage your students to establish a good sleep routine and to avoid excessive drinking, caffeine and all night study binges.
Eating a balanced diet is perhaps the most important factor in staying healthy and being able to ward off viruses like colds and flus. Learning what foods are healthy and which are not is often beyond the experience of many students. Knowing how to cook is an important skill that helps ensure a balanced diet.
Exercise can vary radically from student to student but the reality is that daily exercise is an essential part of staying healthy. How they exercise is not so important, but vigorous daily exercise helps students develop a routine of heart pumping fun that builds their stamina and increases the blood flow to essential areas of the body, the brain included. It is the brains we’re trying to improve.
When health is the goal students will find their college life more fulfilling, more fun and more exciting. They will be able to participate in as many activities as possible, enjoy the excursions and learn to enjoy the process of learning and be ready to take on the world.