Staying Healthy by Pauline

Staying Healthy by Pauline - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

Knowing what I know now, the one piece of advice I would give to younger students is to stay healthy. Staying healthy in school involves a steady balance between your diet, exercise, sleep, medical history, stress and mental health.
Your diet and exercise is important because you can gain weight while you are in school. Your diet can cause you to gain weight when you don’t watch your portion sizes, eat unhealthy foods, skip meals, force feed yourself, deny yourself a treat, or if you don’t drink enough water. I was always overweight so I understand how hard it is to watch your portions and to the resist the temptations of junk food. As a result of being overweight, I turned obese which led to the development of type two diabetes at a young age. I’m still learning to work on my diet but it does take time, will-power and maturity to develop healthier eating habits. I would like to share some of the things I learned. First, stay away from the foods that you know you’ll end up eating too much of and the foods you think may be putting the weight on you. Second, drinking more water does help but be prepared to take many bathroom breaks throughout the day. I honestly can drink only half of the recommended glasses a day but I am working myself up. Third, don’t skip meals but don’t force feed yourself either. I eat when I am hungry but I don’t let my stomach growl either. Try to adopt a diet that includes eating enough so you don’t eat more later in the day. Fourth, remember to treat yourself once and awhile so you don’t go and gorge on that food you are craving.
Exercise helps to relieve stress, decrease tension, and helps you maintain or lose weight. I do try to do some form of exercise every day. My favorite exercise is yoga. In order to prevent injury while exercising, it is good to stretch or have a good warm-up before moving onto the more challenging movements. I find stretching to be helpful in my yoga exercises and even when I am sedentary. Many recorded workouts have warm-ups built in so you are better prepared when the harder stuff is required to be performed. To get an even more structured exercise program, you can join a school sport or take a gym class. I believe the best outcomes of joining a school sport is learning the importance of teamwork, the improvements in coordination, and the promotion of self-confidence. By taking a gym class you could be earning the credits you may need for your degree and getting the benefits of exercise at the same time. You can also sneak some exercise in your life by walking to your classes or to the library, and to do chores around your home or dorm rooms. It is also helpful to find an exercising buddy or buddies. You can laugh, have fun and encourage each other. I think the most important concept about diet and exercise is your self-image. Remember to love yourself for who you are, no matter your size. I also think diet and exercise will work for you when you really want it to.
A healthy sleep pattern helps your energy levels, concentration levels, and helps you to do well in school. If you have trouble with sleep, I have some tips. Get on a regular bedtime schedule, take naps, limit your caffeine beverages, avoid staying up all night, and put some relaxing music on. Your medical history and illness prevention is important because a student can’t learn or accomplish much when they are physically ill. Make sure to get regular doctor visits, get vaccinations, like the flu shot, you are up-to-date on your immunizations, and take your medication for medical conditions as prescribed.
Stress management is very important because school can be or get very overwhelming. To keep stress under control, I have some tips. Know your limits and be honest with yourself, get into the routine of homework, studying and researching before school starts, take breaks and have fun, ask the professor questions and know when it is time to request a tutor, start school part-time and work yourself up and if you are full-time student know when it is time to switch to part-time.
Uncontrolled stress may lead to mental health issues. As a young adult, I was so stressed that I lacked motivation, was very depressed, and had many anxieties. I had no interest in school or my future. I failed to get the professional help I needed for many years. By the tenth grade, I was hospitalized and quit high school not long after. While you are in school, if you experience these symptoms or others, tell your parents, guardians, or someone you can trust. If your symptoms become too overwhelming to cope with seek professional help. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to get the help that you may need. Some of the things I learned while in the mental health system is to be prepared for changes in your life, be assertive, work on possible self-esteem issues, have confidence in yourself, and set realistic goals. In conclusion, stay healthy and enjoy all your school experiences because you’ll never be able to get them back.