It can be hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle when you’re busy at school.

Fast food is everywhere and it’s convenient. When you do have free time, all you want to do is rest. We are all guilty of sometimes falling into habits that don’t contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Luckily, at Memorial, there are plenty of ways to make healthy choices.

When you make healthy choices, everything in your life feels better, and being healthy and active will make you feel better mentally and physically.

Keeping active

Our campus comes equipped with a recreation facility which has everything you could ever need.

When you pay the student recreation fee as a part of your tuition, you get access to many of the great features The Works has to offer, such as the Field House and two pools.

If it’s a nice day outside, why not take a walk around Long Pond (right behind the Business and Engineering buildings) between classes? It’s a great way to clear your mind, get some vitamin D and incorporate some activity into your otherwise busy day.

“When you make healthy choices, everything in your life feels better.”

It only takes a maximum of half an hour to walk around the pond and is a lovely way to get some fresh air if you’re attending classes or studying for the majority of your day.

If you have some extra time, there are longer trails in the main area of Pippy Park.

Not only does Pippy Park offer beautiful trails for walking, but they also offer fun winter activities to keep you active such as skiing and snowshoeing. If you like sports, Pippy Park has both 18- and 9-hole golf courses.

Staying healthy

In order to stay healthy, it isn’t enough to just be active.

It’s important to stay aware of any medical problems. Luckily, the Student Wellness and Counselling Centre, located in the University Centre (UC), is open Monday-Friday for appointments and even offers a walk-in clinic on Thursdays and Fridays. With a clinic on campus, it’s easy to keep your health in check.

Mental health is also an important part of overall wellness. Find more information about mental health services on campus in my previous article.

Eating well on campus

If you don’t have time to make food at home (I get it), there are plenty of ways to make healthy choices when eating on campus.

The UC offers a variety of restaurants where you can customize your order to make healthier choices, such as Booster Juice, Mr. Sub, Extreme Pita and Mustang Sally’s.

When you get into the habit of making healthy choices and being in tune with what your body needs to stay healthy, you will find yourself feeling better physically and mentally.

This can contribute positively to your performance in school and overall well-being.