Tips Teens Need To Manage Their Health In College

Health and Wellness Tips for New College Students

College life for teens is both exciting and demanding. Getting accustomed to all the ins and outs and knowing how to best navigate your college experience can be tough at first. However, one thing that all college students must take seriously is their health. Being able to enjoy your college experience and take on your studies while reaching your goals will require you to take care of your body and wellbeing.

Read on to discover three practical ways for you to help you best manage your health needs in college.

Put Together a Dorm Wellness Kit

Before heading off to college, you should take some time to put together a dorm wellness kit. Think of this as your first aid kit, but take it up a notch. Being well prepared and having access to all your essentials while at school, can help you be prepared to tackle sickness, an injury, or just keeping up on your routine wellness.

Get a sturdy container that you can organize your supplies in. Include first aid essentials like band-aids, gauze, and hand sanitizer for example. In another compartment keep any medications you take. These may include medication for cough and cold, skincare essentials like teen acne products, or birth control and sexual health products.

Finish off your wellness kit by including a journal for you to take notes about any health changes, to write down your goals, or affirmations. Having this kit to take with you can help you feel more prepared and confident when away from home.

Have a Game Plan

Before heading off to school take the time to have a game plan in place to best help you manage your health needs once you are on campus. Having a conversation with your friends, counselors, and parents can help you to prepare for college.

Plan out what to do in case of an emergency. Know the main points of contact on campus such as the health center, as well as your own health care providers. If your health care providers have a wellness portal be sure to set that up and keep your passwords in a safe place so that you can access your vital health documents and information.

Taking care of things and establishing a plan ahead of time can help you to handle health needs and any situations that may arise.

Set Boundaries

It’s important to set boundaries for yourself in college to help manage your health needs. Setting boundaries not only helps with your physical health, but can help to protect your mental health as well. It’s important to know and pay attention to your own wants and needs, and have a good understanding of your triggers to help you improve your overall wellness.

For instance, you can easily feel burn-out or have feelings of anxiety, due to cramming for an exam, staying up too late, or not getting enough sleep. Therefore it is essential that you learn some scheduling best practices and abide by a routine so you are not overextending yourself.

You will also need to establish boundaries for your relationships. Ensure that you have healthy expectations for your social life, that you are able to spend time with friends, connect with family back home, and perhaps join some campus clubs. Surround yourself with positive people who lift you up and share similar goals, dreams, and aspirations.

Taking the time to identify your goals and needs, and standing by them can help you prosper in college and lead you to living a healthy and balanced life.

Conclusion

Managing your health needs as a teen does not have to be difficult. As long as you prepare yourself, have a game plan, and pay attention to your body’s signals you will be able to have a healthy college experience.

Remember, everyone is in it together, and college will help you grow, as well as, be in tune with your body and your unique needs. Remember to take care of yourself, so you can put your best foot forward.