To support your studies at university it is important that you ‘live well’, this will help you to make the most of every opportunity that comes your way during your time at university.
This section explores some of what is generally considered as ‘living well’ with the aim to get you thinking about how you can help yourself to be the best version of you, while studying at university. Many of the skills you will learn, and the habits you will form, will stay with you far beyond your undergraduate years.
Food and drink
Drinking
- Water – It is important to stay hydrated to be able to function well and achieve to the best of your ability. Try to drink fewer sugary drinks and more water or diluted fruit juice. The University has recently held a campaign called ‘Every Other One Water’ to remind about the importance of water.
- Alcohol – It is important to think about what you are consuming as this will have a direct impact on your health and your ability to study well and to engage with the other parts of your student life, be those sports, the arts, socialising with friends or anything else you like to do. Be mindful of how much alcohol you consume; the NHS provides guidance on alcohol units here but remember to do what seems right to you and drinking less alcohol can be a powerful tonic for your university life. Don’t forget, never leave your drinks unattended when you are out.
Eating
- Eating well will support you in your daily life and being a student requires a lot of energy which good food can help to provide. The NHS recommends ‘5 a day’, that is 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. This might seem a lot but as you start to achieve this you will see benefits if this is a change for you.
- It is really important not to skip meals, no matter how tempting it is to skip breakfast, your body (especially your brain) will thank you for getting up just a few minutes earlier to eat something before you rush to that 9.15am lecture! Try to stick to three meals a day and avoid snacking which can take away your appetite for mealtime. If you do like your snack, then go for chopped fruit or nuts rather than sugary or high fat snacks.
- Planning you weekly shop is a great thing to do, if you plan your meals ahead and make a shopping list you are likely to spend less and if you choose a cut price supermarket such as Lidl or Aldi your money will go further.
- Try to choose seasonal fruit and veg as this will be cheaper and much more nutritious.
- If you live away from your family home it’s great to shop, cook and eat as a flat or a house, the collaboration helps with cost and will give you the chance to feel part of a community – you might even think of your housemates as a ‘family’ during term time. You will find everyone has different culinary skills, or if you don’t like cooking you can find a housemate that does and then you can do the clearing up as your contribution!
It is easy to forget how important it is for physical and mental health to eat well, especially during times of stress, for example when an assignment is due or in the run up to exams. This is the time to make sure you look after yourself and finding the time to eat well is one of the best things you can do day to day to help yourself.
Exercise
- Regular exercise is important for health. Whether you are already committed to your particular sport or to regular gym sessions or if you are someone who likes to take a walk down by the river, it is important to remember to include some form of exercise into your daily and weekly routine.
- The University has many opportunities for you to play sport in teams or to exercise individually. The section on ‘having fun’ (link to having fun section) recognises that there are many sports clubs at the University. There is a gym and many other opportunities for exercise, for example the University Mile is a great way to get a good walk and to relax and connect with nature at the same time.
Rest and recovery
- Most people need between 7 and 8 hours sleep a night. Being at university can mean staying up late as part of a social scene. That’s important too but it is crucial to remember to look after your sleep so that you can get enough rest to be able to function as your best self – it is proven that good sleep allows the body and mind to be at their best.
- To help you sleep find a good bedtime routine, avoiding caffeine and nicotine in the hours before bedtime, avoid TV or your laptop in bed, turn off phone notifications, and generally spend at least 15 minutes relaxing with a book or soothing music before bed. If you have trouble sleeping our Counselling and Mental Health pages have suggestions and support.
- Your diet, exercise and sleep all work together and when these are in balance you will be able to perform at your best both when studying but also in your social life too. Your mental health will also benefit, below are some more thoughts about mental wellbeing. The University has provided more on these areas at this link.
Thinking well
Being aware of and taking care of your mental health is also profoundly impactful on the quality of your life.
- Mental wellbeing reinforces physical wellbeing, and this overall sense of wellbeing will enable you to be the best you can be, to achieve to the highest standards and to enjoy your life to the full. Stress is not always avoidable and indeed does help to focus our mind when we need to achieve a challenging goal.
- However, if you find yourself being stressed too much and in a negative way that prevents you enjoying your life then don’t ignore this. There are lots of things you can do such as connecting and talking to friends, taking some ‘me’ time to do the things you love to do and to chill out. If stress continues and you become unwell then further action is needed and at the University, we have support to help and this link and this link show you some of what we can do to help. (link to Seeking support section)
Here at the University of Worcester we have lots to support you in achieving a good balance and we aim that your student life here will prove to be a very positive experience.