Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

by Sofia Vatnik

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How do you stay well in your college years? 

As many know, college is a fun, exciting, new, and transformative time.  Whether college was many moons ago for you, is just around the corner, or you are in college now, you will find this article helpful.

I’m a rising junior at Syracuse University, studying nutrition to become a registered dietitian. As I dive deeper into my studies, I‘ve become increasingly aware of the importance of building wellness habits early on. I want to share a few wellness tips I have learned through personal experience, my studies, and from one of my amazing mentors this summer, dietitian Maria Adams.

Here are my tips for how to stay well in college.

1. Have a morning or nighttime routine that is special to you

This will help you wind down or start your day on a positive note. What your routine looks like will be unique to you. There’s no one ideal routine. My routine became meditating nightly using the Peloton app and having a cup of herbal tea. My favorite tea is well-rested or organic peppermint from Trader Joe’s.

2. Find joyful movement

Stay active for your mental health. Exercising is an amazing stress reliever and increases your endorphins, which act as a natural painkiller. Having a friend to go with can be helpful as this can make it more enjoyable. If your school offers fitness classes, try it; you never know what you may discover! I love the yoga classes at my school. 

3. Nutrients are important, but so is your joy!

Another tip to stay well in college is to eat food that brings you joy! Of course, nutrient-dense foods will give you the energy to study and the vitamins to keep your immune system strong but don’t restrict yourself from other foods you enjoy. Allow yourself to eat the ice cream, have a cookie and the fries, and order out. Your body and brain need this food as well. 

4. Sleep!

As a busy college student, it is so easy to get caught up in studies and socialization and allow your sleep to be compromised. When we do not sleep 7-8 hours a night, ghrelin–our “hunger hormone”–is increased, and leptin–our “fullness hormone”–is increased. (Source) This imbalance of hormones due to lack of sleep can cause us to feel hungrier during the day and overeat. Sleep helps every part of our bodies recover and also helps keep our immune system strong, which is essential when in college!

5. Ditch “the freshman 15” phrase

The dreaded phrase “freshman 15” is often used to describe weight gain during one’s first year of college. I hope this phrase can be diminished from your vocabulary as it normalizes restricting and disordered eating. Interestingly, the concept of “the freshman 15” is a myth; most students don’t gain 15 pounds–but even if they did, this is not something to fear or focus on. We know that well-being is about more than weight and that it’s normal for bodies to change.

Going to college is a significant change, and our bodies have mechanisms to protect us when experiencing new things. Instead of fearing your body changing, work on loving yourself and appreciating your body for all that it has helped you do. 

6. Stop the comparison!

Comparing yourself to others is a recipe for being unhappy. We all have different bodies and needs. Having more or less on your plate than your friend is ok. We are not all meant to look the same! 

Tips from Others

While I love these six habits, I have asked two of my friends, who are also studying nutrition, to share their tips for staying well in college. Here’s what they had to say.

“I stay well by trying to maintain a healthy balance between my academics, social life, extracurriculars, and my mental/physical health. I really love having a routine that I stick to everyday so that I have some sort of a set schedule in my days if my classes get stressful or I start to feel overwhelmed. I also do my best to focus on eating foods that make me feel good.”

Caitlin Berenson

“I stay well in college by surrounding myself with supportive people and finding an outlet outside of academics I can turn to before/after a long day of classes!” 

Megan Hollander

Takeaways:

The college years are an important time to learn healthy lifelong habits, which include self-love, balance, and finding what brings you joy. Focus on these healthy habits to stay well in college and feel your best. When you feel your best, you are better able to show up for others and for yourself. 

With college move-in around the corner, share this with someone attending college! These tips are also an excellent reminder for all of us, as they help us slow down and focus on our health and well-being.

About the author:

Sofia Vatnik is a rising junior, nutrition major, and mindfulness minor at Syracuse University on the path to becoming a registered dietitian. Her interests and passions lie in helping people find joy in food while steering away from diet culture.

Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, edited and reviewed this article. Maria takes a weight-inclusive approach and helps individuals rediscover the joy of food, learn how to nourish to feel their best, and heal from chronic dieting and disordered eating. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutrition Science, a Master of Science in Nutrition Communication, and a Master of Public Health. 

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