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As a college student, you’re probably not overly concerned with your health. After all, there are so many new things to experience and worry about. However, your health is now your responsibility. For possibly the first time in your life, mom and dad won’t be there to take you to the doctor or tell you what to eat or when to sleep. Staying healthy as a college student can be a bigger challenge than most students are prepared for, but here are five tips that can make it easier:

1. Be familiar with Student Health Services on campus : Most universities will have some type of health services or clinic on campus specifically for students and faculty that offers heavily discounted treatments and basic medications. Know where this is located on campus, what hours they operate and what services they offer so that when you get sick, you don’t waste time trying to find them. Look at their website or go in and see if they’ll allow you to fill out any forms/paperwork early at the start of the semester to, again, save time when you get sick. They may also have some websites or pamphlets you can look at to stay aware of local health issues (disease outbreaks, etc) or common student problems (drinking, drugs, STDS, etc).
   
2. Know your medical history : Knowing your blood type, family medical history and what allergies you have to certain foods, medications or products can go a long way to making your life easier when you have to go to Student Health Services. Instead of wasting time calling home or contacting past doctors, you can answer any questions the campus physicians have immediately and be that much closer to receiving treatment for whatever ails you. It will also help insure that you don’t receive medication or treatment that can make your condition worse due to allergic reactions.
   
3. Own a first aid ki t: You can either purchase a full first aid kit or buy a box and fill it with your own choices. Whichever, your kit should contain the basics – various sizes & shapes of band aids, gauze, alcohol swabs, antibiotic & itch creams, and Aspirin – but you should also have a few more items, such as: an Ace compression bandage, an instant cold pack, cold medicine (including a non-drowsy option), antihistamines (for the new allergens you’ll encounter), Pepto Bismol (or some medicine for gastro/digestion issues), Emergen-C powder, and a thermometer so that you can handle most minor medical issues immediately instead of having to wait for Health Services to open. You should also keep a list of emergency contact numbers in or near your kit for quick and easy access.
   
4. Develop a routine (one that includes regular amounts of sleep & exercise) : Your body needs proper fuel and rest to function properly, and a bag of Funions and an extra-large Mountain Dew do not a good breakfast make. Become familiar with the cafeteria/dining hall on campus – they will often offer healthy options.Sleep and exercise are also important, both because they lead to healthy brain function. It’s a given that, while in college, you’ll probably pull a few all-nighters cramming or partying or finishing that essay because you work so much better “under pressure” (that’s a lie you’ll come to realize isn’t true soon enough). But a constant pattern of sleep-debt can have harmful side effects. It slows down your brain’s ability to process information which may not only harm your grades, but also make it unsafe for you to drive. Certain studies have shown that driving while sleep deprived can be almost as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. It also makes your body work extra hard, which taxes your immune system and makes it easier for you to get sick.Try to work in some physical exercise to your routine. In high school, you were always on the move – 7-8 classes a day, extra-curricular activities, gym class, etc. College is a bit different. You may only have one class every day, for 2-3hrs at a time and time spent sitting reading or studying. You may be required to take phys ed course, but with all the options available (such as Rest and Relaxation – you have to love college, right?), you may not actually be moving that much. Physical movement will not only help your body stay fit, but it can help relieve mental stress and clear your head. Most universities will have some type of fitness center that is open to the general student population during certain hours, but even if you don’t want to work out in a gym, you can simply go for a walk. It will help you learn the campus more. You can also join in intramural sports on campus as a way to get exercise and meet new people.Getting into a routine that covers these three basic health needs means that you don’t have to think about it or find time for it or worry about it. You have a schedule, you have a plan – your body develops the pattern, which makes it easier for you to keep up with these habits.
   
5. Identify Stressors & Get Organized : It’s almost impossible to avoid all stress or plan for everything that might go wrong or change your plans, but some common stresses can be, if not avoided, planned for. For instance, if you know a certain class requires more work, you can arrange to do that work first/early so as not to feel rushed later on. If you know a certain student in one of your classes annoys you and makes it hard to concentrate, you can arrange to get to class earlier or later than they do to avoid sitting near them. Those little steps can go a long way in avoiding or lessening stress loads without too much effort. Another way to avoid stress is to get organized. Learn your class schedule and know when assignments are due. Know where your books are so you don’t have to search for them before class. Know where your homework is so there’s no panic when it’s time to submit it. Put your dorm room/car keys in the same spot every time (either in your bookbag or dorm room) so that you’re less likely to lse them. Learning a few organizational skills will help keep you from being too stressed.

Keeping healthy will make it easier for you to concentrate on all those new experiences you want to remember as a college freshman. It will also help you deal with the expected side effects of being off in a new place, alone and away from family for the first time – homesickness and depression. If you’re already healthy, you can realize when your body is having negative reactions to these problems and deal with them quickly, either by talking with friends or even going to see the counselors/mental health services available for free at most universities. Your college years should be a time of learning and exploration – make sure you stay healthy enough to remember and enjoy them.

It’s almost a certainty that at some point in your college career, you’re going to have a “difficult” professor, but what is meant by “difficult?” I don’t mean someone who will actually require you to attend class and turn in your work to earn a positive grade, or someone who teaches a difficult or hard to grasp subject. A “difficult” professor is one you just can’t figure out and, in fact, sometimes you think they might just hate you. When you run into these professors, and you will, here are a few tips on how to survive the encounter: First, figure out what it is that makes the professor “difficult,” because this will affect what you do to handle the issue. For example:

• Is the difficulty in the way the professor grades?
• Does he seem to have unreasonable expectations for assignments?
• Does she ask for one thing and then grade in a completely opposite fashion?
• Is the professor difficult to approach?
• Perhaps he seems angry or gruff all the time, or intimidating?
• Does she constantly fail to appear at office hours or never answer emails/questions?
• Does he dislike being questioned?
• Is the professor not teaching the material in a way you understand it?
• When you ask him to clarify or repeat, does he do the same thing over and over again?
• Is she rude or emotionally/physically abusive?
• Are you afraid of speaking in class for fear of being humiliated?

1. “I’m feeling a bit lost in class – what can I do?”
2. “How can I do better in your class?”
3. “What do you recommend I do to do better on assignments?”

As we enter the new year, everyone is thinking about how they can live better…including college students. You don’t have to create a difficult,multi-tiered resolution to see the results of living healthier. With a bit of planning and determination, college students can start the springsemester off on the right foot, enjoying more energy and clearer focus when classes resume.
Eat Better
Everyone has heard of the dreaded Freshman 15, but if you did put on a few pounds last semester, you don’t need to just be resigned to living with them and maybe adding to them. Universities are wising up about supplying nutritional, healthy food options for students. Plan to belly up to the salad bar more often next semester and skip the fried food steam tables. Use that little fridge for storing pre-cut veggies and fruits instead of left-over Chinese and Hot Pockets. Planning ahead by keeping easy-to-grab healthy snacks around will make eating better much easier once the semester really gears up.
Sleep Better
Pulling all-nighters is not a badge of honor, like some college students believe. Studies show that being consistently sleep deprived affects your brain and body even more than having several beers. It slows reaction times and blurs your ability to make good choices. Make an action plan for next semester now. Pull out that planner and prepare it for the upcoming semester. Block out your class and work schedules and then section off times for studying so that it isn’t left to the last minute, meaning that you will have to live on just a few hours of sleep a night.
Exercise Better
When you think of exercise, you may think of hours spent in the student rec center sweating away. And, while accessing the gym that you already pay for in your college fees is a smart idea, you can easily build more exercise into your day doing things you already do. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and walk to that class across campus instead of taking the bus. Find other ways to add steps to your daily life. Once you do this and recognize how much better you feel with those endorphins flying around in your system, you may find yourself scheduling time to get to the student rec center more often too.
Drink Better
No, I don’t mean switching to micro-brews. I mean, drink more water. Many students have switched from soda to energy drinks, thinking they are healthier, and that they will make up for the lack of sleep they get. But nothing can replace the benefits of drinking more water. It keeps you hydrated, which helps you think and feel better, since hydration is required to keep all of the cells of your body work at their optimum. It provides you with quality energy and mental clarity—the exact opposite of what caffeine offers in the form of jittery, spastic energy with a big crash at the end of it. Invest in a reusable water bottle that you can carry with you everywhere this coming semester. Fill it up at water fountains so that you are never without that life-giving H2O. An added benefit: you will save bucks that can be better spent on more important things.
Decompress Better
So, maybe you bought into the belief last semester that college students party to decompress. But that doesn’t mean you have to continue on that track in the coming months. In fact, partying isn’t decompressing…it’s hiding from the stress that has built up. Make a plan for decompressing in a healthier way in the New Year. Attend yoga classes at the rec center, take walks to clear your head, make time for friends who care about more than just clubbing. Learn to meditate. Once you engage in a different, smarter form of relaxation, you will soon realize how last semester’s form of decompression actually added stress to your life.
Jacqueline Myers has been guiding college students through the murky waters of writing and research for many years. And she can be your personal English instructor if you visit her on her blog Nitty-Gritty English: The complete site for tips, tricks and techniques for the UN-enthusiastic English student. Jacqueline is a proud member of the AEGC writing staff.

There is more to visiting a college campus than the official tour. Yes, you should definitely participate in that also, but consider doing that in addition to other things that will help you get a real feel of what it might be like to live and work in that college community. Take advantage of the opportunities the college offers prospective students—and then, explore further.
Stay overnight Some universities require you to have a “sponsor” to stay with if you spend the night on campus, but others encourage it and will even include it in the orientation as an option. Take them up on it if you can. Eat in a couple of different dining halls, sleep in a resident’s hall and sit in on a class or two. These types of experiences will go a long way to helping you get a better feel for what attending school there is really like.
Visit the nearby town Many college campuses are surrounded by towns that caters to the college crowd. No doubt you will spend a good amount of time there if you decide to attend that university, so spend some time touring the town too. How friendly are the people? What drug and convenience stores are around? What are the names of the best restaurants or other hang outs for college kids? Is there a movie theater or a bowling alley nearby? Do the “townies” act like they see the students as a part of the community? Every college town has its own atmosphere; feeling comfortable there will be important to feeling like you fit into the college area as a whole.
Talk to current students This, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to find out about the “real” college environment. People in general love to talk about their experiences, so it is usually easy to stop random students and ask them questions. Find out where they like to go to have fun. Learn about their favorite dining halls and study places. Ask if they would choose this university again, if they had to do it over. Why? Come up with creative questions that will give you the answers to the most important aspects of living on your own for the first time.
Learn the layout of the campus This includes the library, the student clinic, the dining halls and if you know what major you will declare, the buildings where a majority of your classes will be held. Also, look at which resident halls would be most convenient for you. You may want to choose your dorm based on how convenient it is to dining and classes instead of picking the one with the most updated rooms. It may not mean much to you now, but when you are tired from studying, but need to eat or locate the right book for an essay, location and convenience will be of great import!
Explore on your own There are a lot of places on every campus that your typical college tour won’t show you, but may be of great interest. Don’t be afraid to take a walking tour of your own to see the “real” campus…the parts that aren’t in the glossy brochures. Some of the coolest places to study or hangout are not part of the official tour, but you will definitely want to know about them sooner, rather than later. If you like to study in cafes, go to each of the nearby local coffee shops to try the coffee or your favorite beverage. Get the feel for the clientele. See how comfy their chairs are. These things will be of much more practical use than you may expect, and sooner than you think! Come up with other ideas of your particular creature comforts. Believe it or not, these things are a vital part of being happy in a community while being away from home.
These suggestions are all about learning the school inside-out—learning about the school not from the employees or the college website, but really exploring and learning about the places, events and people that are important to you. Remember that the college experience is much more than academics, so go beyond the campus tours to get a better understanding of if that college is the place you could consider your home away from home.