When you enter college, you may be eagerly anticipating a new chapter in your life. One that is filled with the promise of independence, new experiences, and increasing adult responsibilities. What you may not be prepared for is that you need to pay attention to your body throughout your years in school, just as your trusted adults helped you through the past 18 years. To learn well both in the education sphere of college and in the social and emotional arenas, you must prioritize the great person you already are.
See medical providers for preventative care.
Often, college students forget to make their medical appointments because they are too busy, feel “just fine”, or do not realize they need to because someone else always did this for them in the past. Here are some essential healthcare appointments to schedule.
- Chiropractor – Seeing a chiropractor is useful after an accident, of course, but they also help to alleviate pain from sitting in the same position for too long while studying. When your back and neck feel stiff or misaligned which leads to side effects, such as headaches, you need to contact a chiropractor for care
- Primary Care – Seeing your primary care physician, internist, or nurse practitioner who provides you with annual well checks is necessary, no matter where you are in life. Your provider will conduct an overall well check and run age-appropriate tests to determine your general health. This is an opportunity to ask any questions you may have or ask for referrals.
- Dentist – Seeing your dentist at least twice yearly is important to prevent oral health problems and keep your teeth and mouth in good health.
- Eye Doctor – Visit your eye doctor annually to update your prescription and have your eye health assessed. Routine testing will be conducted to determine if you have any underlying problems.
- Mental Health Provider – Your mental health matters. Perhaps you are feeling ok, but need to talk through a situation. Or, maybe you are experiencing stress and need a way to work through it. Any reason is a reason to seek help.
Know that you are enough.
It is ever so easy to look around campus or scroll through just about any other student’s social media updates and stories to feel like you are not experiencing college life the way you should. Or so it seems. Many young people matriculating through any university at any given time feel less than when they compare themselves to others.
It is time to take a good look in the mirror and realize that the rest of the crowd is probably feeling at least some of the same anxieties as you and are trying to keep up with what they view as the ideal life. Everyone is still chasing likes and views when they should be focusing on enjoying their lives and the unique experiences that only come during their college years.
Watch this helpful video to learn seven things you need to know when you think you are not good enough.
Do not ignore your health. It is essential for you to feel your best both physically and mentally to learn well in college. Take care of the body you have for a successful future.
