Archive for the 'Student Health' Category

When you’re in school, you’re likely facing new challenges, especially with the new freedom you likely have as a young adult exploring the outside world. Fortunately, you’re not alone. There are college peer counselors at every single school to help you on your way. There are certified and trained professionals. There are doctors on campus who you can talk to. There are networks, groups, meeting places, and campus groups that can help you find yourself and give you advice on how to approach matters related to health, sex, depression, and anything under the sun.

If you’re afraid to approach someone directly, there are also student forums online. My favorite, without a doubt, is Go Ask Alice, Columbia University’s health question and answer “hotline.” Weekly, new questions are posted and are answered by medical experts and students who have been in your shoes. Some questions which are discussed include:

• Finals and depression
• Meditation
• Sexual well-being
• Side effects of drugs
• Free birth control pills
• Health insurance
• Lack of sexual orgasm
• Whether it’s time to move in with the person you love
• Fear of moving on after graduation
• Avoiding the freshman fifteen
• Summer programs for weight loss
• Ejaculation issues

…and a lot more. In other words, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask your question or to look deep within the archives for your answer. Chances are someone has already experienced it and can make you feel a lot better.

Something lots of students don’t really think about when they’re off at college is what to do in the event they wind up in a medical emergency. When it happens, and it’s happened to me, is to just do wind up in whichever emergency room the ambulance drives your broken body to. Chances are, as it was in my case, that you’ll find yourself at closest one. Well, not all hospitals are equal.

I wound up at a really horrible hospital that so happens to be footsteps from where an incident took place that left me with a few broken bones that still bother me now, years later. Had I wound up in a hospital that specializes in my injury, I likely would have received a much better treatment.

USNews and World Report, the same people that put together that top college list every year, also rank hospitals. It’s really worth studying this and putting together a list of the best facilities for various needs. It’s also worth having a primary care practitioner at your college, especially if “home” is far away. It can help with insurance companies that require referrals for even the most routine procedures.

Another issue you’ll likely be confronted with, especially as a first year student, is whether to pick up an insurance plan or, if available, retain coverage under your parents (likely a possibility if you’re under 25). The decision to spend a few more hundred dollars up front could save you thousands down the road. At my school and many others (since the company that handles health insurance for mine takes covers many universities), students are presented with a primary and comprehensive plan.

The primary is, simply put, the bare minimum. In the event of something happening, the coverage is there. It’s not the best and it requires more to spend out of pocket, but it’s something. Then there’s the comprehensive coverage that, for the most part, covers everything. Is it a game? Sure. But so is health insurance. And, knowing firsthand, having the best coverage can be a real lifesaver.

Do you sit at your computer all day and never have time for fitness? Don’t shy away from the answer if it’s yes; thousands of students are in your shoes. Whether you’re an active student (in which case you have a healthy regimen in place, for the most part) or you’re not so active, you can get ideas or inspiration from these items listed below.

Do some jumping jacks. Even the biggest couch potato or IM-aholic can stop for 5 minutes and do some jumping jacks. It will get your cardio up and give you a little bit of a physical boost. You can’t really say no to jumping jacks.

Run up the stairs. College elevators are often full of students, and I remember the resentment I got in my freshman dorm when I would take the elevator to any floor below the fourth. Take the stairs instead. If you don’t have stamina, do it slowly at first, but then start sprinting up the stairs.

Walk to class. If your campus is small, you’re already doing this. If you take a shuttle bus around campus, skip it and walk. You’ll feel better that you did.

Do 5-10 sit ups. I don’t care if your dorm room is super small. Clean up that floor and do some sit ups. You have no excuse to build up your abdominal muscles. Do a few sets of 5-10 and get a little stronger.

Go to the gym. You’ll have some free time to go to the gym, so take advantage of the equipment you can access there. College gyms are often a lot better than other gyms with more equipment.

Set up a ball game. Sometimes you need your friends to motivate you. Grab a bunch of those and play some basketball, or if you can’t get as many people, go with tennis. Jump to the campus courts and wind up.

Game on. There’s no denying there’s another fad out there, and while it’s a welcome distraction from schoolwork (yay!), it’s also great for you. Hit up the Dance Dance Revolution or Wii Tennis. Reward yourself with the game when you’re done with homework, or even take some breaks during. Just remember that you need to get that all done too!

How do you work out during a hectic day at school?

This year, the flu worse than ever and has claimed a number of lives. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself more than ever this winter season, whether in classes or outside classes. Your health should be important to you, so take the following steps to ensure that you survive through another cold winter.

Get some sleep. Sleep is very important for you. You’ll need about 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Pulling all-nighters may make life seem a lot easier and allow you to get more done in the day, but it’s bad for your body.

Keep yourself clean. Wash your hands after you’re in the bathroom. Wash your hands after you get out of the subway. Wash your hands before you eat. Good hygiene is important for good health. Carry hand sanitizer with you and use it often.

Stay away, germs. Keep foreign objects like pens out of your mouth. You might feel compelled to chew on the top of your pen, but you’re accumulating hundreds and hundreds of bacteria that could be potentially harmful.

Got a scratch? Don’t use your fingertips. Use something else, like your knuckle, to scratch that itch. Fingers are most likely to contain the largest amount of foreign organisms. Otherwise, use the hand sanitizer and scratch, but make sure your hands are clean!

Get a flu shot. Your health department likely offers flu shots. You might have some arm pain, and you might not want to wait on a long line, but in the end, it’s worth it.

Get fresh air. Don’t breathe recycled air that may contain pathogens from your own classmates or friends. Keep your windows open, if only a little bit.

Stay away from people who are sick. This is a given. If you’re sick, stay home and don’t give your illness to others. If your friend is sick, distance yourself from them. If your classmate is sick, sit on the other side of the room or yell at them to go home!

Eat well. It’s great to think you can snack on Bawls and chocolate during a midterm or term paper crunch, but it’s not healthy nor is it good during this season. Eat real meals, take your vitamins (especially vitamin C), and avoid replacing your essential nutrients with anything that’s less than brain food for a prolonged period.

Avoid using public computers or telephones. Use your own computer and don’t share with someone who may be passing around germs. Your cell phone, too, should not be shared. Don’t touch things that people touch regularly. You have no idea where the people’s hands have been.

Flick switches on with your elbow. Again, your fingers probably have more germs on them than your elbows, so use unconventional ways to touch things that other people might be touching with their own fingertips.

Be good to your body and your body will appreciate you, especially during the winter season!