“To ensure good health: Eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.” ~William Londen.
Studying abroad is fun and rewarding, immersing oneself in another culture. A new place to live and explore, a time of adventure and self-discovery. To have the opportunity to gaze a new country is exciting! But on top of the excitement is unfamiliarity. A new environment brings stress and staying healthy on a very busy schedule and new environment is a challenge. Finding a new lifestyle is a bit difficult, so it’s the perfect time to start the “Healthy and Happy Me Routine.” And because being away from your support network and comfort zone, things might be stressful both physically and mentally. While being away from home is truly a challenge, that can’t stop you from being healthy, happy kid!
Students abroad require adjustments on travel and school internships that’s why being healthy takes a back seat. For all you know you always eat junk food, fast food. After school Netflix, sodas, pizza, processed meat, the lack of sleep, you name it! For all you know you’re gaining weight, feeling exhausted, uninspired, depressed. Thinking of “I’ll move and start exercising now but the weather whispers let’s sleep.” Kid, learn to prioritize your health. Make it a habit to take good care of yourself. We’ll discuss here the basics on how to stay healthy and simple tips thus promoting happy lifestyle while studying abroad.
Eat a wholesome, nourishing and beneficial food
While studying abroad is a bit challenging for students. Juggling school and cooking might be too much. Plan your favorite meals ahead. Not the overkill “Top Chef” cooking. Choose easy to make recipes and cook by batch. Planning meals ahead of time saves a lot of money and you can get creative too. Buy foods in season; also make fruits and nuts as snacks so as not to eat more junk foods often that leads to eating more in the afternoon and makes you feel hungry and sluggish.
Move and start an exercise routine
Aerobics, Yoga, and Dance Workout! Lots of fun videos on YouTube and works fine and thus save your gym membership fees. Talk about saving money, Huh! Exercise burns calories and thus prevents you slouching, feeling lazy, dull and depressed. Create a routine that suits and works for you. Create a power playlist to make it more enjoyable!
Be in touch, reach out and interact
Isolation triggers depression and anxiety. Communicate! Use online apps and other online tools to talk to your family more often. Schedule regular chat with your family back home. Talk to your friends too and catch up on their school activities. This helps in dealing with homesickness and lessens the chance of feeling isolated. Make new friends at school and schedule fun activities with them.
Read biographies
Self-help books– Yep! Sounds boring? Nope! You’ve heard that reading is a great way to distress. From generation to generation, reading enhances imagination and expands one’s vocabulary. Not only should a book be an academic reference but also a path for continuous learning and self-discovery. We recommend self-help books and biographies, these genres explore and tackles self-reliance, life tips, and stories that will inspire one’s perspective and tips to overcome adversities.
Schedule a “reward yourself” after a day’s hard work
A simple treat after a long day such as your favorite coffee or a movie. Indulge in your comfort food, a sauna, anything that will help you detox after-school and work. Any activity that helps you distress lessens mental and physical stress daily thus helping you to overcome burnout. For others, a cup of coffee helps, warm tea with lemon, music therapy, a warm bath. Anything that will make you feel relax and stress-free!
We hope the above basic tips will help and can create a healthy routine for busy individuals like you. Be sure to apply what really works, what really makes you happy on all aspects- physically, mentally and emotionally.
More tips on how to stay healthy while studying abroad!
