College is a dream for many and a nightmare for others. Really, how does college affect your health? Do the benefits outweigh the detriments? Is College Good For Your Health?
College affects health; mentally, physically, and physiologically.
Almost all Colleges have tougher and more in-depth coursework. Students gain a sense of independence accompanied by heavier responsibilities. There is also a distinctive lack of structure that is not experienced in high school. All these factors combined make college environments one of the most stressful environments students can ever find themselves in. Notwithstanding all this, it has been shown that college is good for the health and grants students benefits other levels of education do not.
This write-up will thoroughly explain all of this.
Common Activities In College
- Studying: College students study provided course work to stay on top of their school’s curriculum
- Completing and submitting assignments: Colleges frequently give graded assignments to count towards students’ GPAs.
- Having tests: Like any other educational institution, college students are tested on various topics from their lectures.
- Writing exams: Students write exams that are assessed and recorded.
- Partaking in extracurricular activities: Most colleges make it mandatory for their students to be involved in activities other than those in the classroom to promote a sense of well-roundedness
- Sports: College students commonly take up sporting activities.
- Attending lectures: Attendance of classes is vital to collegiate education.
- Part-time jobs: More often than not, college students have jobs at the side to lift some of the financial burdens they might have.
- Maintaining a social life: College students are humans too, and humans are social creatures.
Health Benefits Of College
- Longer lifespan: People with a bachelor’s degree have been proven by research to have about nine (9) years lifespan longer than people who don’t have a bachelor’s or higher degree.
- Improved exercise habits: College students often exercise more than high school students, thus increasing overall health.
- College students or those with a bachelor’s degree are more likely to seek medical attention regarding their health issues than those without, thus curbing the worsening of illnesses and allowing diseases to be treated properly.
- Data from a survey conducted by the National Longitudinal Study Of Adolescent Health shows that earning a college degree decreases the likelihood of obesity.
- College students and college graduates have been shown to have lower smoking rates than people who did not attend college.
- Earning a college degree before major life events has been researched to decrease the probability of obesity, and obesity is a catalyst for the risk of so many deadly diseases, including but not limited to heart diseases and some forms of cancers.
How Can Students Maintain Good Health In College
Students can ensure that their health remains in a condition of wellness by following these few tips:
- Eating a Healthy Balanced Diet; Although obvious, this can never be over-exaggerated. Students are known to get busy enough to forget about eating, not to mention eating in a healthy and balanced manner. A healthy diet gives the body all the nutrients it needs; fluids, protein, carbohydrates, fats and oils, vitamins, etc.
- Exercising Frequently; Being active in a frequent manner can help lower blood pressure, increase blood flow and all-in-all promote good health.
- Living In a Clean Environment; College is a shared environment with hundreds of students using the same facilities regularly. One should ensure to remain neat and clean to curtail the spread of germs and diseases.
- Remaining Hydrated; Hydration has been proven to boost brain performance and prevent infections while also regulating body temperature. An average adult is advised to take more than two (2) liters of water per day.
- Getting Enough Sleep (7 hours or more); This is important as it directly relates to the ability to retain information. You might work harder when you do not sleep, but that does not mean your performance will be better.
- Having Safe Sex; As most college students are adults, sex is a common activity. To prevent the passing of sexually transmitted diseases and infections such as HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea between parties, one should use condoms and be knowledgeable when it comes to his/her partner’s history of STD/STI.
- Prioritizing Mental Health; Mental health issues can affect a student’s ability to perform well in their academics. As such, students should not hesitate to seek professional help while setting healthy boundaries for whatever they feel is draining their energies.
- Wearing Sunscreen; College grounds are large and expansive, so students should make sure to guard against harmful sun rays to avoid the development of skin cancer.
Is College Worth All The Claimed Benefits?
Yes, college is worth all the benefits because the benefits have been researched and proven. Like all things that don’t come easy, getting a college degree might seem hard and stressful, but with proper adjustments and care, one will surely just breeze through the years required to get a degree. Remember: The best things in life hardly come easy, but those are the things worth the sacrifice.
Conclusion
College can seem like nothing but an element that keeps draining and taking without remorse, but looking at it all through an objective lens shows that college is an antihero with more advantages and positive aspects than its students know of or that may seem obvious. There are so many successful people out in the world who did not attend college, but that does not change the fact that those with higher educational degrees have better chances when it comes to employment.
FAQs
- Most common health issues college students experience.
Some of the most common health issues students are known to complain of are; depression, anxiety, cold, eating disorders, lack of sleep, panic attacks, and others.
- Do The positive effects of college outweigh the negative?
Depends on who you ask. It’s not a clear-cut distinction. Colleges have numerous positive aspects: improved employment opportunities, better education, and more. One of the most notable negative effects of college is the stress it causes.
