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7 Easy Ways to Stay Healthy This Semester

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

With a full load of classes, a part-time job, studying and socializing, finding time for staying healthy can seem overwhelming. We’ve all been there: sitting in the same spot in the library for 6+ hours straight, living off of Cheez-Its and caffeine. But it doesn’t have to become a lifestyle. There are so many ways to sneak in a little exercise and healthy eating. 

1. Walk more.

Forget mopeds. Forget the bus. As a student at a large university, you are constantly walking everywhere. I don’t wear a Fitbit, but I know that you can easily reach your step goals on campus.

2. Take the stairs.

Your dorm or apartment might come with an elevator, but challenge yourself to take the stairs more! After a long day, I get wanting to take the easy way out. But there is a reason there is a stair climber at the gym. It is a really easy way to get a quick workout in!

3. Try out new recipes.

There are so many delicious and easy ways to stay healthy in college. While dining out or eating at the dining hall might seem like the easiest option, there are so many recipes that only require a few ingredients.  Here a couple of examples to check out:

Skip: Dining Hall Waffles

Try Instead: 3-Ingredient Pancakes

All you need: 1 egg, 1 cup oats (ground), 1 banana, syrup (optional), blueberries or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Skip: Noodles and Company

Try Instead: Zucchini Spaghetti

All you need: zucchini, spaghetti sauce, a vegetable spiralizer, olive oil, tomatoes (optional)

4. Check out group classes at your recreation facilities.

Working out doesn’t have to be a chore! Make staying fit a hobby by checking out the group classes your school has to offer. (At UW-Madison you can try out group classes at the beginning of each semester!) You can even make it a social event by getting some friends together to check out classes like Zumba, HIIT workouts or group strength.

5. Join an intermural sport.

You don’t have to be a star athlete to get in the game! Consider joining an intermural sport for a fun way to stay in shape and hang out with friends.

6. Become a yogi.

Yoga is one of my favorite ways to stay healthy, because there are so many benefits from it. You can increase your flexibility and level of relaxation at the same time. How much better does it get? Try a yoga class at the SERF or NAT. If hot yoga is more your thing, check out Inner Fire Yoga and Dragonfly Hot Yoga. Both have free classes for first-time visitors and affordable packages for your first month!

7. Take some time for yourself.

People tend to forget about what I think is the most important part of your health: mental health. Don’t forget to take some time to check in with yourself here and there. School is important, but your sanity is essential! You’re a Badger, so clearly you have what it takes to be here. Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s okay to take a break to make sure you don’t get too overloaded with school and extracurricular activities.

Fall semester is here whether we are ready for it or not, Collegiettes (that means so are game-day activities, PSLs, and long days at the library). So, try to incorporate these tricks into your life to stay healthier this semester!

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Taylor Shiff is a Senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Communication Arts-Radio/TV/Film, with a Digital Studies certificate. She is a yogi, cupcake enthusiast and superfan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Taylor is also the writer behind the blog, "Life in the Lost and Found Bin", at http://www.lifeinthelostandfoundbin.com
Madison is a senior at the University of Wisconsin pursuing a major in English Literature with minors in Entrepreneurship and Digital Media Studies. Post college, Madison plans to complete her dreams of being the next Anna Wintour. In her free time, Madison enjoys listening to Eric Hutchinson, eating dark chocolate, and FaceTiming her puppies back home. When she isn't online shopping, or watching YouTube bloggers (ie Fleur DeForce), Madison loves exploring the vast UW Campus and all it has to offer! She is very excited to take this next step in her collegiette career as Campus Correspondent and Editor-in-Chief for HC Wisco. On Wisconsin!