Healthy, happy students

Many students find it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle when studying. Between exams and assignments, as well as maintaining an active social life, you might feel you can’t find the time to pay attention to your personal health and wellbeing. Below I outline some advice you can follow stay healthy and happy!

Learn to say no

Unhealthy food is quick and easy to consume, especially whilst you’re on the go. But it’s not wise to eat a lot of junk food. Avoid eating when you are not actually hungry and try not to eat too much late at night, as this can cause heartburn and weight gain. Maintain a healthy diet plan.

Keep fit

When you are in classes, working or studying alone throughout the day, as well as studying during evenings and weekends, mustering up the motivation to exercise isn’t always easy. The best way to get around this is to establish a routine, or to join a local gym. Get your friends involved, plan activities over the weekend that get you moving, and look for opportunities to increase the amount of exercise you get.

Avoid late night studying

Not only can staying up late at night increase your stress levels, but you might also find that giving your best efforts is more difficult if you are tired and frantically working towards a deadline. I would recommend that you keep a schedule of your assignment due dates so that you can plan ahead. It’s also a good idea to start assignments at least two weeks before they are due, so that there is no last minute rush!

Find ways to reduce stress

Exam stress can have a negative impact on your health, especially your immune system. The key is to manage your stress levels before they hit their peak and to find study methods that will work for you. Many students find it effective to structure their study sessions and take breaks between each one. This might involve a quick jog around the block to clear your head, sitting with a book, watching your favourite movie, or catching up with your friends for a cup of coffee.

Balance your commitments

Ask graduates about what they struggled with most during their studies and many will tell you that they found it difficult to balance their commitments. It’s important to maintain a life outside of study – keeping everything balanced will help you to do well academically and stay healthy. If social outings are interfering with your studies, you could try reducing the amount of times you go out per week or promise yourself an early night every now and then.

Avoid procrastination

There are many things that can tempt us away from our studies. It is impossible to completely eliminate procrastination - all of us are subjected to it at some point. But you can take steps to limit it, by using your calendar effectively, making a study plan and sticking to it.

Remember to keep your final goal in mind. University of London students all over the world will have different ambitions, so do your best to stay on track and work towards your own study targets. Above all, remember that healthy students are happy students!

Haala is studying the LLB in Pakistan.