We at the Clarion take our health seriously, for the most part. Being in school can be pretty hard on our bodies. Stress, poor nutrition, lack of sleep and little exercise can take a physical toll on students.
Many students at Sinclair are both working full-time and taking classes, and many get far fewer than the recommended eight hours of sleep every night. Inadequate sleep can cause poor judgment, forgetfulness, dangerous driving, weight gain and a number of health conditions.
To make matters worse, going to school is necessarily a sedentary activity. We spend most of the time in most of our classes sitting down. If you’re taking twelve credit hours a week in a quarter, that amounts to twelve hours that you’re sitting down when you otherwise might have been walking, standing or doing almost anything else that would be healthier.
When we finally get out of class and can stretch our legs, we head to the cafeteria. There, we find that some of the cheapest options are made of grease, cheese and dough. Pizza, one of the most popular items at the marketplace, is just not meant to be eaten in the quantities that are consumed by some of us here at the Clarion.
All this physical abuse can take the form of the“freshman fifteen,” the weight gain that is supposedly common among first-year college students. Studies show that although freshmen tend to gain far fewer than 15 pounds, modest weight gain is widespread.
But there are small and simple steps that anyone can take toward a healthier lifestyle.
Avoid the elevators and take the stairs, try to park in Building 13 and walk to class and if you have the time try to take the long way to class.
These simple steps can be what you need to keep your body in shape and have the body that you desire.
We here at the Clarion hope that everyone will make an effort this quarter to do some jumping-jacks in between classes, eat some salad or just try to think stress-free thoughts to keep their bodies working right. It takes a healthy body to have a healthy mind, and it takes a healthy mind to be the best student you can be.