Protecting Your Health and Safety While Away at College

Protecting Your Health and Safety While Away at College

Guest Post

Going away to college can be the most exciting time in a young person’s life. Living away from home, making new friends, experiencing new things, and entering adulthood for the first time can bring a lot of changes at once, and it might take a while for college students to really adjust to their new lifestyle. This may be part of the reason that college students face so many potential issues when it comes to health and safety. If you don’t want your parents calling you up worried sick every day, it’s important to exercise a little adult responsibility with your adult freedom and take care of yourself. Of course, the areas of most concern to doctors and parents when it comes to college-age young people are easy to understand.

1. Binge Drinking

According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly 30 percent of college students are regular binge drinkers, consuming an average of 9.3 drinks in a short period of time. Not only does binge drinking increase your risk for heart disease and brain damage, it also contributes heavily to other destructive behaviors. Heavy drinking results in 183,000 rapes and 1.7 assaults every year, not to mention the increase in aggression, drunk driving, and unplanned sex and pregnancy. Severe alcohol use is also a factor in suicidal thoughts and tendencies. It’s not abnormal to go to parties and get drunk in college, but it’s important to know the risks of letting your partying get out of control. If you regularly consume 4 or 5 drinks in a short sitting, you might be developing a problem.

2. Sexual Activity

The statistics when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases in college students can be pretty shocking. The CDC says that 1 in 4 students will contract an STD before they leave school, which is a direct result of the fact that only about half of them use a condom. Heavy drinking often results in irresponsible decisions, which is another reason you should be careful about substance abuse in general. No matter whether you are male or female, you should always carry a condom if you anticipate sexual activity. And if you’re sexually active at all during your college experience, you should plan on regular blood tests and screenings for every different kind of STD, from chlamydia to HIV. Remember that 80 percent of people with an STD show no visible signs, and they probably don’t know they have it.

3. Mental and Physical Stress

College is not simply a health risk if you’re going to too many parties. Studying for tests, writing endless papers, and just trying to juggle your finances can take a huge toll on your health, as well. The CDC recommends you get 7-9 hours of sleep every night, which can prevent diseases and cut down on unmanageable mental stress. It’s also important to maintain a balanced diet, so you can avoid those caffeine-fuelled all-nighters. Take regular breaks from studying and try to achieve a balance so that you don’t get overwhelmed. You should also take advantage of the healthcare options available on campus and make sure you’re getting regular check-ups.

College can be great for giving you a taste of the adult life you’ve been imagining all through high school, but proving you can handle the responsibility should be your priority. Too many college students fall into the trap of excesses and unhealthy behaviours. Remember, college is your jumping-off point for success, so you need to get the best head start possible for the rest of your life.