Staying Mentally Healthy During College

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Students often focus mainly on their physical health meaning they tend to ignore their mental health. Through college, unusual stress on a student's mind can occur due to the pressure and responsibility that is created while living away from home. These mental illnesses could have serious effects such as suicide and self- injurious behavior. However, there are also several mild effects that are also important to seek help about.



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According to the chart, more than 35% of students have felt overwhelmed more than nine times over the course of the past school year. Between midterms, volunteer work , part-time jobs, college can be a lot to handle. In most cases, the feeling of being overwhelmed usually begins with tiredness.  In order to break the overwhelment, it is important to plan out your own individual needs and try to accomplish them. Once your needs are fulfilled, your body creates a feeling of higher energy which causes happiness and lowers your overwhelment.

Depression/sadness is another common mental issue that a lot of college students can relate to. Depression affects you by giving you the inability to function through your everyday life.  According to the World Health Organization, depression affects 121 million people but only 25% of those people have access to effective treatments. There are many signs and symptoms of depression which could be treated before it gets worse. Some of these symptoms include: social withdrawal, change in appetite, irritability, increased use of drugs or alcohol, and many other symptoms. If you see these symptoms occurring in a friend, room mate, or classmate, seek help. Do not delay seeking help because symptoms may get worse and serious actions such as suicide may occur.

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There are many ways to stay mentally healthy. Some of the most important ways are staying physically and socially active.Being physically and socially active allows the mind to create positive messages and helps keep your mindset in the right direction.Also another important way is to set goals for yourself. Having these goals for yourself, helps you realize that in life, you have something to achieve. This gives you the drive to stay happy and have positive energy. After you reach your goals, it gives you a reason to celebrate and enjoy the accomplishment you made in your life. 

Here at Adelphi University, we offer free, confidential counseling with a psychiatrist or social work intern that will help you along the way with your mental health issues. Even if you feel you do not have any problems, the Student Counseling Center (SCC) is always here to talk to you. They will help you with your problems from family or relationship issues to problems concentrating in class.  They also provide useful information, workshops, and group counseling for those who are nervous about talking alone. Students can schedule an appointment by visiting the SCC in the University Center Room 310. The SCC is open Monday-Friday during these hours of operation. 





What Not to Keep in the Mini Fridge

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Here at Adelphi University, most of the students who live on the campus have at least one mini refrigerator in their dorm room. Mini refrigerators can hold anywhere from 6 to 48 twelve-ounce cans of soda. But should sodas really be in your refrigerator? Sure soda may be your favorite thing to drink, but is it really helping your body when your on-the-go for that 6pm science lab? What about those yodels you just grabbed while your on your way out the door, are those helping you?

In college, it is necessary to have a lot of energy and focus throughout the day in order to do well in your classes. In order to keep the energy going, it is important to eat foods with complex carbohydrates rather than simple carbohydrates. Foods containing complex carbohydrates include bagels, whole grain cereals, peanut butter, and low-fat yogurt. Complex carbohydrates are slowly broken down which generates an even energy flow during the entire day. Simple carbohydrates such as soda, yodels, fruit juices, and many other thngs are broken down quickly in the body to create a short energy rush.

When your making those midnight runs to the mini refrigerator or to Post Hall for food, remember the healthy choices that will keep your mind going as your studying for that Spanish test tomorrow. Avoid foods that will make you crash because of the amount of sugar content contained in them. Healthy foods doesn't always mean fruits and vegetables (even though these are the best ones) however, healthy snacks also include whole grain pretzels, light butter microwave popcorn, and even baked chips.









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About This Blog

This blog will be used to guide students at Adelphi University to a healthy lifestyle while living on campus. This ranges from improving healthy emotional to physical lifestyle. For students, especially students with a full class load, finding time to eat right and exercising daily can become a little tricky. Also, sometimes all the stress that begins can affect their bodies physically and emotionally. Freshman are very vulnerable to these changes because this lifestyle of living on their own away from home is very different for them. Through this blog, I hope to show students how to keep themselves and others focused on school work as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding or relieving stress.