Living A Healthy Life At University

Living a healthy life at university doesn’t have to be chore. In fact, it can improve your productivity and even help you focus and get better marks.

Here’s how to start:

Healthy eating

Plan ahead. The most important thing when it comes to healthy eating is to plan ahead. Doing a weekly grocery shop will help ensure your cupboard is filled with nutritious and healthy food, so you won’t be tempted to go for takeaway meals.

Choose high fiber foods. Foods like oats, brown rice and whole wheat bread are a great option as they will give you the energy you need but are also known to lower cholesterol.

Eat what you love. When it comes to eating healthy, to keep you on track it’s a good idea to go for foods you really love. For instance, do you love stir fries and rice? Then whip up your own at home with skinless chicken breast, vegetables and brown rice – a great healthy option that you could even pack for lunch at university the next day.

Being active

Walk instead of taking public transport. When you need to get to a lecture on time or your part time job you may take the easy route of a bus or train. However, opting for walking (if it is a reasonable distance) is a great way to fit some exercise into your day.

Join a team. Your university is likely to have plenty of team sports available from futsal, Oz tag to Netball. Joining a team is a great way to have a break from class and get some exercise into your week and it will also give you the opportunity to meet other people from your university.

Staying mentally healthy

Take some time to breathe. It might sound simple but the practice of meditation or choosing a quiet spot to let your thoughts go and concentrate on your breath, can have major benefits to your mental health. This is especially important during exam time!

Connect with friends and family. While you might be constantly on the go, take the time to connect with those you care about on a regular basis. If you’re an international student this could be as simple as a regular Skype session with family and friends from home.

Don’t take on too much. Another part of staying mentally healthy is only taking on what you can reasonably fit into a week. That may mean pushing back on extra hours at your part time job to ensure you have time for university work and of course yourself.

Living a healthy life at university can be done – plan your food ahead, eat what you love, get involved with sports and take some time out for yourself.

Top 10 tips for Scape residents for living a healthy lifestyle at uni

1. Plan ahead
2. Choose high fiber foods
3. Eat what you love
4. Walk instead of taking public transport
5. Join a team sport
6. Take some time to breathe
7. Connect with friends and family
8. Don’t take too much on
9. Have a balanced lifestyle
10. View our event calendar

You got this!