Staying Well

To give yourself the best chance at university, you need to look after your own health and well-being:

• Eating Well: Eat healthy foods everyday. The picture below represents roughly what proportion of your diet should consist of each food type. You should try to limit ready meals, fast food and pizza, unhealthy carbs (such as white bread, white rice and white pasta), and sugary foods such as cakes and biscuits, because these foods contribute to a lack of energy, low mood and poor sleep. Instead prepare meals using wholegrain foods, fresh vegetables and lean meats or fish. Many students are not used to cooking when they first come to university, but this is a life skill that you need acquire, so give it a try!

• Eating the Right Way: For optimum health you should eat a healthy breakfast (such as wholegrain toast with eggs, or fruit and natural yoghurt. Then eat small meals as you feel hungry throughout the day. Always chew your food slowly, drink glasses of water, and avoid eating at night, which can harm digestion and sleep.

• Cooking: If you are unused to cooking, you will find that there are cooking instructions on most food items, but the various parts of your meal may require different cooking times (so for example you must put one item in the oven, but then wait for ten minutes before starting to cook another item on the stove top). If you find this difficult then you could write a list of what to do at what time, or use the timers on your mobile phone to remind you to start the next step, so that all the items are ready to eat at the same time. When cooking vegetables, which have no instructions, it depends on how you like them - if you prefer them crunchy you might boil them for only 4-5 minutes, but if you like them soft then it will take longer. You must experiment to find out what works best for you. You can also use Google to search for cooking advice.

• Promoting Good Sleep: Establish a routine where you go to bed and get up at roughly the same time each day, where possible.

• Exercising: Physical exercise is proven to promote health and well-being, and improve depression and low mood. For best results, combine exercise with fresh air and nature; go for a walk or run in a park during daylight hours. Try to spend at least 30 minutes a day outside, as this raises serotonin levels, which makes you feel better. The Students' Union also has a fitness centre, Qmotion, and various sporting societies that you could join.

• Staying Safe: Take some precautions to stay safe around London; make sure you know where you are going and plan your transport in advance. Memorise the number of someone you can call if there's a problem - such as a family member. If you need cash, remember to get it from the ATM during the day, rather than late at night, and avoid walking around with valuable things such as a mobile phone or mp3 player in your hand or on show, as you could be targeted by thieves. Always avoid getting drunk or taking illegal drugs, as this can put you in serious danger.

• Financial Well-being: Ensure you have all the bursaries, loans and grants that you are entitled to. If you are not sure about these, make an appointment to see a Welfare Advisor who can guide you (see Where do I go for...). Check the balance of your account regularly to ensure you have enough funds for what you need to spend. If you become more overdrawn than you have agreed with your bank, you will be charged fines, and these can quickly add up and overwhelm you. If you are running out of money, tell someone straight away - this could be a family member or one of the Welfare Advisors at QMUL.

• Building a Social Life: Feeling isolated will have a negative effect on your studies and general well-being at university, and this is probably an area you have worries about. Know how to pick the right people to approach; if you are a quiet sort of person, look for other people on your course who may seem quiet and shy, or are sitting alone - they will be easier to talk to than those who are already in a big group. Sit down near them and then introduce yourself. Outside of your course, make an effort to join a society, volunteer, or perhaps post a suggestion to meet up with others in this group, using the Students Announcements, above. When meeting new people, remember that if you encounter people who try to make you do things you don't want to, such as drinking alcohol, they are not real friends. This is known as 'peer pressure', and you should avoid these people.