Common Health Issues That College Freshmen Face

Common Health Issues

Common Health Issues That College Freshmen Face

Your first year at university can be one of the most amazing years of your life. The things you’ll learn, the people you’ll meet, the experience can be unforgettable. However, you want your first time at college to be unforgettable for all the right reasons and that means avoiding some of the very real obstacles and risks that every freshman must deal with when it comes to health and safety. There are some pressing college health issues that every student will encounter in their four years at school, but these dangers are more acute for incoming freshmen who can sometimes have a tough time acclimating to life on campus.

There’s a definite learning curve involved for some students who are now faced with making their own decisions about pretty much everything. Stress and peer pressure are also significant influences that can lead to troubling health concerns for freshmen in particular. These are some of the most common that you’ll find at just about every college campus across the country.

Lousy Eating Habits

Students often have more pressing matters in mind than making sure they get the proper nutrition they need every day. Crazy class schedules and doing homework at the last minute as they purse ACU’s conflict resolution degree can preclude freshmen from getting three meals a day, with breakfast most often skipped in the mornings. That can mean hungry students who reach for fatty and salty snacks instead of getting the proteins and other nutritional components that are much healthier for them. Poor eating is directly related to feeling sluggish and getting sick more often.

No Exercise

Many freshmen don’t get enough exercise for any number of reasons. Too busy studying for long hours of the day or simple boredom and laziness are among the most common factors why students don’t get the exercise they need. That’s why it’s important to get some activity during the day. It can be as simple as taking a walk from one class to the next, get out on the quad throw the ball around, ride a bike into town instead of taking public transportation.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

College freshmen are often sexually active before they reach campus but not all of them are particularly careful about practicing safe sex. That can lead to diagnoses of everything from herpes to chlamydia and worse as students contract these diseases from one another without thinking about the consequences of not using a condom first. Though many can be treated, some STDs can have long-lasting, dire consequences that can affect the overall and reproductive health of both men and women.

Stress

It comes in many forms and it is the single most impactful health issue that college freshmen face every year. Some don’t adjust well to living away from home, others succumb to intense amounts of stress brought on by their workload and a need to do well in class. Grades are important but not at the expense of one’s health and well-being. Student-athletes often experience high levels of stress from trying to make the team or juggling their academic commitments while devoting the rest of their time to team activities.

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