Although your health may not be one of the first things that comes to mind, when you embark on your exciting new life as a student at university, it could turn out to be one of the most important. University life brings about many new experiences, from all the academic issues you will have to deal with, to your new found independence as you adapt to life away from home.
Look up student health issues, and you will find articles on anything from safe sex and contraception, to drugs, smoking, alcohol, and how the financial and academic pressures of being a student can affect your mental health. All these issues can and do come to light for students all over the country, so why not be prepared, and make sure your time at university is a healthy one.
If you’ll be studying away from home, and will be on campus for most of the time, then register with the nearest GP or university health centre and dentist on arrival, and find out where the well-being/counselling services are, should you ever need them. Although rare, mumps and meningitis can be more common among students, so it may be worth checking if you need these vaccinations or a winter flu jab to help keep you healthy. Other tips include being prepared for the physical relationships you may embark upon while being a student, being aware of sexual health issues, and eating well. Rest, exercise, and a healthy diet go hand in hand when it comes to filling you full of energy, improving your concentration, and they can save you money too. Why not banish the stigma that students eat an unhealthy diet, reduce the number of takeaways and meals out you have, and start cooking yourself. Stocking up on fruit and vegetables, replacing some foods with healthier alternatives, and shopping locally can all help with this, and there’s good news on the cooking front as well. There are student cookbooks available, and plenty of tips and recipe ideas to help you make simple, home cooked food at home.
Student life is all about choices, good and bad, and research has shown that students are more likely to indulge in drinking, drugs, and smoking cigarettes, than anyone else. If the choices you make involve any of these things, then the mantra here is, know your limits, and know the risks. Long term or excessive drinking can affect your studies, and put you at risk from weight gain, to more serious issues like cancer and liver problems. Drinking, just like drugs and smoking, can all become harmful addictions, and of course the majority of drugs are illegal for a reason.
You can resist peer pressure and temptation, and make informed choices about your health, whether it be what you eat, how much you drink, or even how you try and avoid colds and flu. The NHS has further information and advice and personal stories covering all kinds of health issues facing students. Their website is also a great place to find out more about the healthcare services that are nearest to your university.
