This article seeks to examine the lifestyles of UP students both on and off-campus and how to be a healthy college student through the utilization of campus resources.
By UP Beacon
Junior John Avila likes Taco Bell. Yes, he admits, it's unhealthy, but he's young and those chalupas are delicious. Like many UP students, Avila lives off campus and struggles to maintain his health with the temptation of cheap fast food just two blocks away from his house.
"I haven't died yet," says Avila.
Contributing to his continued existence is the fact that, though he may have a weakness for Taco Bell, Avila follows his own health plan. Avila said that drinking plenty of water to counterbalance the dense mound of tortilla in his stomach and exercising both keep him healthy.
"I always do some sort of exercise," said Avila. "Even if I'm not going to the gym, I try to walk as much as I can and it works".
Avila is also a proponent of adequate sleep, something, he notes, that often eludes college students.
"If I'm not sleeping a lot I take naps," said Avila. "That includes class."
Avila isn't the only one challenged with making healthy choices as a college student, but
Sophomore Priscilla Osredkar, who has lived both on and off campus, balances her health a little differently.
When living off campus, Osredkar had no time to overeat and could control what food she ate because she was responsible for finding and preparing it. Osredkar acknowledges the fact that it would have been easier to opt for fast food over the organics that her roommate loves, but her surrounding helped her make healthier choices.
"It's harder to stay healthy on campus," says Osredkar, who has two jobs - one of which is off campus - and has trouble getting to meals at the Commons because her work hours conflict with meal times.
Even when she manages to get a meal in, Osredkar has trouble finding healthy food.
"You walk into the Commons and go for something that looks good," she said "then you try it and you're like, 'Bleh! Next thing!' So basically you just grab a roll and end up eating a lot of bread."
The only things that Osredkar really enjoyed eating on campus last year were the desserts. Though, she notes, they were delicious, the various pastries contributed to her gaining the infamous "Freshman 15".
Conversely, when Avila lived on campus last year, he hated Commons food so much that he just stuck with salad and lost 11 pounds.
"The Commons is the reason for most of the unhealthiness," said Osredkar.
These days, the Sophomore counts her fruit and vegetable intake, and attempts to steer clear of desserts.
Regardless of all of the time constraints and limited food choice, the UP Health Center dietitian, Valerie Edwards, is a firm advocate for eating on a regular basis - preferably, three meals a day.
"Skipping meals can lead to being tired and unable to focus in class," said Edwards. "It can lead students to overeat later in the day".
The dietitian recommends that students think about the food they are ingesting and make a conscious effort to include protein, carbohydrates and a fruit or vegetable within each meal.
"Students need to see the trade-off between time and energy," said Edwards when asked about students who subsist on fast food because of its accessibility. "They need to realize that eating healthier will lead to more energy in the long run".
And what is the most important health factor, according to Edwards? Sleep.
"Sleep is huge!" said the dietitian. "Sleep and eating on a regular basis".
Though she agrees with these recommendations, Sophomore Peer Health Educator, Lana Jesic remarks that student health is not just about being physically well.
"It encompasses many aspects that lead to a healthy lifestyle," Jesic says. "It is important for students to reach a balance of the many aspects".
Though the PHE does promote the achievement of physical health, she also mentions the need for emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual health.
University of Portland students can take advantage of the many resources on campus in order to advance every facet of their health. Howard Hall is open to those who want to exercise and the dietician at the Health Center for students who want a bit more systematic control over their diets.
Emotional health can be supplemented through the use of the various psychologists and counselors available at both the Health and Learning Resource Center.
"It is important to have a well balanced social network and friends," Jesic said when asked about the advancement of social health.
Intellectual and spiritual health can be improved through the use of the Freshman Resource Center, the Learning Resource Center, the Career Center and the Moreau Center for Services and Leadership, as well as the Ministry on campus.
"College can get pretty stressful at times," says Jesic "And I think that it is important for students here at UP to be aware of the different resources and opportunities that are available for them on campus to help achieve a healthy lifestyle."
Trips to Taco Bell aside, both Jesic and Edwards maintain that it is possible for each UP student to live a healthy college lifestyle while they are enrolled here.
