Staying Healthy in College

Coming to college is an absolutely amazing experience that I think everyone should be able to try. For most students, it is the first time away from the parents and out of the home. Going to college is the best of both worlds as you still have people around to help guide you and direct you, but the freedom of being an adult. With that being said, many people do not have the home-cooked meals or packed lunches for school. Most students now fend for themselves or eat when they want, so Ashland University's Convocation Center (Convo) is the place to go when you are hungry. Some of the benefits of going there would be the variety of foods they offer and the hours they are open. Some of the cons would be that there are so many options and there is no limitation of how much you can put on your plate.

So my advice for incoming freshman when coming here would be to make sure you are watching how much you eat what you eat in general. Instead of getting pizza or a burger, try going for a salad every now and then. Also, college can be stressful! Try not to stress eat or go out and buy food because you are stressed from studying. Another concern is what you drink as well. Convo offers a very large variety of beverage options from things like soda, milk, juice, coffee, and of course water. Try getting water instead of a soda one day to avoid extra calories.

One last bit of advice I have for avoiding the freshman 15 and staying healthy would be to go to the Recreation Center. The Rec Center is huge and offers a large variety of things to do get physically stronger and keep those extra pounds off. They have club sports ( I am currently president of Club Basketball), intramural sports, a weight room, a track, an indoor soccer field, two basketball courts, and even racquetball courts. There is plenty to do there, so go in and get a good workout or play some pickup games with friends. Staying involved and healthy is the best way to get going and feeling good about yourself!


- Seth