At UTM, students, faculty and staff are ready for Homecoming week, a time to get into school spirit, while making good memories and while also being COVID conscious, of course.
Whether it is their freshman or senior year, students want to enjoy Homecoming, Halloween, other holidays and the advent of fall and cooler weather. At this point in the semester, students might be a tad drained by trying to maintain good grades as well as a social life. After all, UTM is a great place to get involved and find a place to belong.
Feeling drained, though, can have a big impact on grades, social life and overall health. My experience is that finding yourself mentally drained will negatively influence the desire to make good, health-conscious choices. This can involve what you eat daily, how many hours you sleep, how much physical activity you are getting, etc., and these factors will end up affecting all aspects of your life.
It is hard to make these things a priority in college. So, here are some tips from a fellow Skyhawk on how to stay healthy this fall:
• First, regardless of whether you are a freshman or even a senior, you might not know the first steps to making improvements to your health. This first tip is to make simple notes, preferably bullet points – nothing too fancy. Make a list of the habits you want to improve or even change. Remember to be kind to yourself while making these notes.
• The second tip is to respect your mental health. Making changes in life, big or small, can affect emotions and mood. From experience, the best changes are made slowly and with careful thought. For example, a student might decide they want to get more physical activity during the day. That is great, but how do you exactly start that process and respect your mental health at the same time? A great way to start is by taking walks at the park. UTM has a walking trail located by the Student Recreation Center. It is a safe and great way to get moving and to get a break from studying.
• The last tip is to remember that you are at college to make memories, such as all the things we will be doing during Homecoming week. Good memories are the best memories. Respecting your mental health, as well as your physical health, will help influence your ability to make good memories. Remember that it is OK to take a break. Take a walk to get some fresh air and feel mentally motivated before studying for any remaining midterm exams this week. Or, if you’re done with exams, go visit Quad City this weekend with your friends and get some fresh air while walking around. You’re likely to feel better after being outdoors.
Have a great and healthy Homecoming week, and enjoy the fall!
