After a long week of hard work at Grove City College, try to balance between work and relaxation, like going for a walk with your friends to get some ice cream!
Going to college brings with it a series of many joys as well as many challenges. Fortunately, with the right guidance, motivation and education, these challenges can be overcome, or avoided altogether. One of the biggest things that most college students face is the challenge of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By this, I don’t just mean working out, although that is important. I mean that sometimes, it’s hard to manage the stresses, pressures and decisions that come with being a college student. Luckily, it is not impossible to achieve a healthy and happy lifestyle at college. All it takes is a little extra dedication, time and a good attitude.
Grove City College is in tune with its students, and works hard to provide resources for its students to succeed in their health and wellness goals. Below are five important areas to keep in mind while achieving your goals as a well-balanced, healthy and happy student at Grove City College.
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Making good food choices
Finding and making healthy choices can be difficult at times. And sometimes, after a long day, all you want to do is chow down on a cheesy piece of pizza (#treatyoself), which is totally fine. But, as the age-old saying goes, all good things in moderation. On the average day to day, it’s easier to make a better food choice when you know what’s on the menu for that meal. Grove City’s Bon Appetit does a great job with this by posting the day’s menu on their website, listing all the options for each meal and each dining hall, including vegetarian and gluten free options. That way, you can be more prepared to choose your food wisely rather than choose the first yummy thing you see. Also, it can be fun to be creative with the food options available in the dining halls! Who knows what delicious, nutritious concoction you will be able to create! Another good tip is stocking your room with healthy snacks. That way, if you’re hungry between meals, the food you have to turn to are healthy, smart choices too. Your diet can affect a lot of emotional and physical aspects of your day, so remember to fuel your body well so that it can be at its best for your day ahead!
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Getting enough sleep
In college, you learn that your parents were right about a lot of things, and one of those things is the importance of sleep. Full and exciting schedules require proper sleep in order for those days to be a success. Homework and studying tend to pile up, so it’s best to work hard during the day so that you don’t have to work late into the night. But, there will be that time when the late-night study session is unavoidable, and that’s ok too. It’s just important not to make it a regular occurrence. Like late nights, naps are definitely necessary sometimes, but they should not be a replacement for a good night’s rest. Sleep is your friend in college, and it needs to be treated as such, with respect, love and attention.
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Scheduling workouts into your routine
It’s time to lace up your sneakers and get moving! Along with a healthy and balanced diet, it’s also a good idea to find time to get your heart rate up and sweat a little. Not only is it good for your body, but regular exercise has been shown to improve mood, focus, information retention and even sleep! All positive attributes for a well-balanced college student! The idea of “the gym” can be intimidating and seemingly a mystery if you don’t know what you’re doing. Luckily, there is a way that you can become familiar with the facilities and the equipment in an educational setting. Grove City College requires all freshmen to take a year of Fitness and Wellness classes. These classes are great, because they introduce you to the different gyms and activity areas on campus, and teach you about different styles of exercise that can be easily replicated into your daily fitness regime. Instead of heading to “the gym,” you could take a walk with a friend around the beautiful Grove City Campus or try a Pinterest workout or YouTube video in your room instead. Maintaining this routine is important for short term and long term health, so be sure to make it a priority by scheduling it into your day like you would a meeting or a class. Pro tip: it’s a lot easier to keep up with fitness (and a lot more fun!) if you have friends supporting and doing it with you!
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Make time for fun and relaxation
With so much new and exciting things going on, stress might be close at hand. It can be easy to let new responsibilities and situations get the best of us at times. The best way to combat the stress is remembering to make time for friends, fun and some much needed relaxation. Weekends are a great time to catch up on homework and reading, but they are just as important for recovering, unwinding and other enjoyable things. At Grove City, you’ll be sure to meet some amazing friends, so plan a trip into town to grab coffee or ice cream, explore the town, watch a movie, play a game, take a nap, or whatever makes you happy. You work hard, and you deserve a few moments to yourself in order to be prepared for the next week. Not only will you have fun, but you’ll feel better, perform better and be better. College is a taste of the real world where you learn to understand that it is all about balance, and hard work requires a few off days in order to maintain that balance. Don’t be afraid to take time to reflect, relax and be thankful for this awesome new chapter in your life!
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Knowing your resources
Sometimes, it’s hard to manage the challenges that college brings, and that’s ok. It can be difficult to avoid the cold going around, or maybe you are dealing with a heavy burden and you are seeking help in order to manage. Grove City College provides Counseling and Health Services located at the Zerbe Health and Wellness Center to meet the physical, mental and emotional needs of its student. For more information, please use the links included below.
Zerbe Health and Wellness Center Information
http://www2.gcc.edu/info/hours/
Counseling Center Information
http://www.gcc.edu/studentlife/Counseling-Center/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.gcc.edu/studentlife/Zerbe-Health-and-Wellness-Center/Pages/Default.aspx
