Maintaining good overall health can be very challenging for a college student who is balancing a loaded school schedule and a busy work schedule.
Living a hectic life like this can leave very little time to focus on
one’s health. Many students rank health last in their list of priorities
because they think losing sleep to cram for that test or working
late to pick up a few extra bucks is more important than their physical and mental well-being.
Don’t get me wrong, I have had my fair share of late night study sessions or picked up extra work hours on many occasions
myself, but I always make sure I leave some spare time to focus on
improving/maintaining my health. It’s not always such a bad thing to have a few days when health isn’t on a student’s list of priorities;
however, when it becomes a way of life, it can be a very bad thing.
The consequences of not maintaining good health can affect many aspects of their life, including academics. If a student is physically or mentally unhealthy, it can definitely have an effect on their experience in college.
Vincent Brolley, IVCC psychology professor, believes that “sleep, mood, energy level, nutrition, stability and concentration can all play a major role in the quality of a student’s performance and their overall college experience.”
I believe there are three keys to maintaining good health: diet, exercise, and sleep. Eating a healthier diet, getting seven to
eight hours of sleep each night, and doing as little as 30 minutes of daily exercise can greatly improve a student’s health. Not only
will they look and feel better, but they will also perform better and have a more enjoyable college experience.
The majority of college students think that since they are young they can get away with slacking on their health. However, what many don’t realize is if we lose our good health at a young age, it will only become harder to earn back as the years of our youth fly by during our pursuit of our academic and career goals.
“When you do not have your health, nothing else matters.”
– Augusten Burroughs