College 101: Five Healthy Habits
Hi all! Welcome to another College 101 Wednesday, today I wanted to discuss 5 healthy habits to start working on and forming in college. These are just some of the habits I’ve either formed in my last three years or I am still working on forming, but I’ve found they’ve helped me become more productive, energetic, and positive.
Start Early
Photo via kiwi report
Whether that’s starting your day an hour earlier to get that workout in or brainstorming for a paper a week or two in advance or maybe even getting to your meeting 10 or 15 minutes early to prepare properly. I think it’s so important to give yourself time, I feel much more prepared and ready to take on the task if I’m not being rushed. I know some people say they work better under pressure or a time crunch. That may work for some assignments or cramming for a test, but in the real world people like to see progress on projects. If you get assigned something at work and you tell your boss you’ll do it two days before the due date they’re probably going to be a little aggravated. Also being on time is good, but being early is great, it means you value other people’s time and schedules. I’ve learned that whatever it is starting early can never hurt, but starting something late is never good. Whether you take my advice now or not, you’ll eventually learn the value of starting early.
Plan/ Write Everything in a Planner
Photo by Mari via flickr
I’ve mastered this since I was a senior in high school. I almost had to while apart of the dance team, debate team, track & field, orchestra, key club, FBLA… the list goes on. I’m always busy, which means I need to manage my time correctly or life will start spinning out of control. I’ve made it a habit to write down events as soon as they are scheduled. If I’m heading to the dentist I know the receptionist will ask me to schedule an appointment 6 months out and you better bet I’ve brought my planner to write the date and time down. I’ll even write out when I’m meeting with my friends on campus or when I’m working out. Lately, I’ve been “scheduling” my workouts and it’s helped immensely because I know that time is now solely dedicated to staying healthy. Writing everything down holds you accountable to a schedule and ensures you won’t miss anything while trying to juggle a million things in college!
Say Thank You
Photo by Pricilla Choi via flickr
In high school I feel like I took a lot for granted… the high school I went to, the house I lived in, my parents, my amazing friends, but in college I realized not everyone has these opportunities and these people. My life isn’t perfect, but I’ve grown to realize to be more thankful for what I have and the ones around me. It’s such a small gesture, but I try to think about three things I am thankful for each night whether it’s in my head or out loud or sending a nice text to one of my friends or family members. Thank your co-workers at your summer job, thank your family, thank your friends, and you might as well thank your dog… I do all the time! Haha All I’m saying is it takes two seconds to send an I miss you text to your bff or a get well soon to a group partner who is sick. It takes two seconds to call your parents and tell them you love them. It takes two seconds to send an email to your professor thanking them for a great semester. It’s simple, but a thank you or kind gesture goes a long way.
Get Outside Your Comfort Zone
Photo via Elite Sports Group
Karlie Kloss said there’s your comfort zone, learning zone, and then your panic zone. I stole this one from her Klossy video, but I agree that it is so important to spend time in the panic zone. It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone where everything is familiar, but reaching the panic zone is taking risks and making you just scared enough for it to be exciting. In college, you can get stuck going out to all the same parties with all the same people, taking all your courses in the areas you’re good at, and doing the same activities every week. Remember to take some risks even if they seem a little crazy! Take that theater class even though you’re an engineer, maybe you’ll learn how to present information on the spot or overcome public speaking. Go out to the band party, maybe you’ll meet your new best friend. Try out the aerial yoga class downtown, you might just find you love it! I try to say yes to one thing that scares me or makes me seem just a little bit crazy at least once a month in college. I’ve made new friends, added stories to tell my kids one day, and most importantly made mistakes to learn from. I hope you do the same in college.
Rest & Relax
Photo by Ian Cleary
This is kind of the ying to the yang of the last habit. As much time as you spend doing crazy adventurous things in the panic zone, it’s important to give yourself a break that includes your mind and body (shhhh I’m still working on this one quite a bit). I’m a very busy person and love every second of it, but I’m often caught up in projects, classes, or extracurriculars that I become overwhelmed and exhausted. To prevent becoming burned out in college, it’s important to spend a couple nights in getting 8 hours of sleep or taking a break from studying to go to a movie with friends. I like to be constantly going, going, going and when I’m not I confuse a little R&R with boredom. Lately, I have been writing down things I want to do rather than things I need to do, like get a pedicure or read a book on the front lawn. I’ll look at this list when I have a little extra time or need a break from studying and I’ll cross something off the list. It helps me feel like I’m being productive while also having a little fun! I also again, try to schedule my R&R to be sure I dedicate time to rebooting my body and mind.
These are just five of the healthy habits I’ve been working on in college and I really hope to continue them in my last year of college, as well as, after graduation.
What is one habit you have formed in college or would like to start working on?
Let me know in the comments below 🙂
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