Five Common Health Risks College Students Face
A lot of people look back at their college days as the best time of their life, but despite all the fun college students have, they are at risk for a lot of different health complications. There is a lot of pressure in college to perform well in a lot of different areas, and that kind of pressure can lead to lifestyle choices that are less than measured and prudent. Here are five common health risks college students face.
- Depression and Anxiety
As much as most teenagers look forward to getting out of their parents’ house and moving away to college, the freedom comes with a caveat – loneliness. Not only are you leaving your family behind when you go to college, but you’re also leaving most, if not all, of your friends behind. It is always exciting to make new friends, but it can take some time, and when life get stressful, it can be easy to just want the comforts of your childhood bedroom and a home-cooked meal.
- Weight Gain
Weight gain is one of those college health risks that is okay to a certain point, but if you start gaining weight too quickly, and you find yourself gaining more than the standard fifteen pounds during your freshman year, then you should definitely reassess your diet and exercise regimen. Gaining too much weight too quickly can have a seriously negative impact on your heart and other vital organs, and it can certainly diminish your self esteem.
- Sleep Deprivation
If you are attending a very competitive school, like Stanford University, then you are going to have a lot of studying to do, a lot of papers to write, and and a lot of required reading. If you are not extremely organized and have a tendency toward procrastination, then there’s a good chance that you are not going to be doing a lot of sleeping. This may seem like a very innocent problem at first, but if you don’t allow yourself to catch up on sleep it could have very negative consequences on your health.
- Mononucleosis
Mononucleosis, also referred to as mono, or the kissing disease is an extremely aggressive virus that can be very painful and very scary. Not only will it keep you from getting out of bed for weeks on end, but most people struggle with eating, swallowing and sometimes even speaking. This virus is very easily transmissible via the saliva, which is why it is known as the kissing disease. You won’t be likely to catch the virus if you are earning your degree from AU Online, but if you are going to a standard college campus each day, you want to be very careful.
- Alcohol Poisoning
Let’s face it, most college students like to party, and most college freshmen are still learning their limits. Binge drinking has been a favorite past-time for college students for a very long time, which is why alcohol poisoning is so prevalent. If you are planning to drink at a party, be sure to take your time and respect your limits.
