I remember what it felt like the summer before coming to college. I remember different daydreams of what it would be like to finally be in college, the nerves that I would get from worrying about forgetting something important, and the advice I would get that helped calm those nerves (just a little). I got advice on all sorts of things. People told me the best ways of setting up your room to get the maximum space, what to pack, what classes to take and which ones to wait for later, what to get involved in, and how to spend my time. I was told to get out of my comfort zone and to experience new things. I was told to find what my passions and dreams were and to chase those dreams. I was given such good advice, but what people didn’t really advise me much on was how to stay healthy in college. Hope College thankfully has resources that make staying healthy both physically and emotionally much easier.
- Finding the motivation to stay healthy can at times be difficult. Here at Hope though, you are surrounded by different ways to stay healthy. Our workout facilities, in the Dow, are a great resource and are open and free for students most of the day. There are so many different things to do in there that it is easy to find a fun way of working out from swimming to playing a pick-up game of basketball to weightlifting. (My favorite is the intramural sports!)
- The Dow also has our Health Center which students can use for flu shots, physicals, check-ups, and more. This facility is full of ways to stay healthy! On top of that, the dining hall is full of healthy options for those who are willing to look, and there is a nutritionist available in the Health Center on Fridays for students to talk to if they would like more tips on eating healthy. I suggest having fun with it and finding new combinations.
- While it is important to be physically healthy, it is just as important to be emotionally and mentally healthy as well. For this reason, Hope college has CAPS. CAPS is our counseling and phycological services where there are counselors there available for all students to talk to for free. They are there for students going through difficult times and even provide resources like group meditation or different types of group counseling. They are great people to talk to when you are going through a rough time and create a great support system for students! On top of this resource, for finals week, we have fun events to help students relieve stress for a little bit. Some of my favorite events include coloring and petting dogs!
These are just a few of the ways Hope helps its students stay healthy. With so many resources, it makes it so much easier to stay healthy while also being involved in the things you love to do in college!