Wellness Resources for New Students

Entering college is an exciting, challenging, and life-changing experience. Whether you are a first-year or transfer student, it is important to work towards a healthy, balanced lifestyle so that you can succeed both in the classroom and in life. This page provides a variety of resources that will help you enhance your overall well-being in the areas of emotional, environmental, intellectual, financial, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual wellness.

 

LiveWell UCSD Orientation Blog

 

Healthy Eating on Campus

Whether you live on campus and eat at the dining halls regularly or you live off campus and stop by the dining halls on occasion, UC San Diego dining services offers a variety of healthy selections that will give you the energy you need to make it through the long classes, study sessions, organization meetings, and anything else you are involved with. Check out this video to learn more about how you can make healthier choices in the dining halls:

 

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Wellness Tips for New Students

College life brings a lot of new experiences and challenges - independence, exploration, working, interning, determining your career path, meeting new people, getting along with roommates, managing your time, adjusting to your new class schedule, volunteering, and getting involved. Here are some tips (courtesy of RN Central.com) to help you make the most of your life as a college student:

  • Build new friendships. A big part of the college experience is meeting new people and forming new friendships so get out there and meet new people whenever possible.

  • Expect things to change. Things will change both at home and in your school life, so expect things to change over time. You will grow and so will the people around you.

  • Understand that it may take time to fit in. Most people don't make best friends on the first day of college. It takes time to build friendships, so don't get discouraged if you don't fit in right away. social wellness

  • Don't be afraid to ask for help. Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help with their depression but this is unnecessary as it's a common and treatable problem that you don't have to deal with alone. Tap into campus resources to find help or tell a friend how you're feeling.

  • Keep in touch with family and friends. You can help beat homesickness and loneliness by keeping in touch with friends and family members.

  • Don't let stress get the best of you. Stress can be a major factor in many students' depression. If you're feeling stressed out make sure to take a break and set aside time to relax. emotional wellness

  • Realize you don't have to please everyone. There is no way that you can make everyone happy all the time. Concentrate on making yourself happy first and you'll cut out lots of stress and hassle from your life.

  • Know the signs of depression. It can be hard to differentiate a simple slump from serious depression so learn the signs of depression not only for your own benefit but for the benefit of your friends as well.

  • Volunteer. Sometimes volunteering can give you a sense of satisfaction you can't get from work or class work, so get out there and help others in your community. spiritual wellness

  • Get involved on campus. Joining clubs and social groups on campus can help you to meet new friends and keep you from feeling lonely or isolated.

  • Set goals. You'll be more motivated and positive if you give yourself goals to work towards throughout the school year. intellectual wellness

  • Learn proper portion size. To avoid eating too much of even the healthiest foods, keep track of how much you're eating. For most people, meat servings should be about the size of a deck of cards and other servings vary by the type of food. physical wellness

  • Vary your meals. When the cafeteria has your favorite foods daily it can be easy to return to those old favorites every day. Changing up your diet from day to day is an important part of good nutrition so take advantage of the variety of selections available to you.

  • Eat breakfast. Start your day off right with a good meal when you get up. Whether you're rolling out of bed at noon or up at the crack of dawn for class, make sure you start your day with a balanced, healthy meal.

  • Keep healthy snacks around. It's easy to eat healthy if you keep the Cheetos at bay and stock your dorm room with fruits and other healthy snacks. You'll be more likely to reach for these than junk food if you keep them nearby or in your backpack.

  • Head to the gym. Most schools provide students with gym facilities they can take advantage of for free. Head to the gym between classes or when you get up in the morning to squeeze in a workout.

  • Take advantage of fitness courses. Along with gym facilities most students will have access to fitness classes they can take. Since you're already paying for these through your tuition you may as well take advantage and get a workout that will help keep you in shape and motivate you.

  • Walk to class. While taking public transportation might be quicker, walking will give you a chance to stretch your legs, burn some calories and relax before your next class.

  • Incorporate different kinds of exercise in your routine. When you work out, don't just stick to one kind of workout. Incorporate strength training, cardio and stretching exercises into your routine to make it well rounded.

  • Make Exercising fun. You're probably not going to work out if you are bored with your routine or find going to the gym torture. Find a way to make it fun for yourself and you'll be much more likely to keep it up.

Wellness Resources on Campus

It is important to know where all of the wellness resources on campus are so you can use their services or refer a roommate/classmate to visit a specific resource.

Click on any of the icons on the map below to learn more about the wellness resources on campus that are available for students.


View Wellness Resources on Campus in a larger map