Staying Healthy in College – lecture outline

Materials needed:

copy of “Staying Healthy in College – group discussion questions” for each group

copy of “Hands-on Assignment – Staying Healthy” for each student

sample first aid kit

Preparation:

Assign students to read “Staying Healthy in College” in the textbook and mark each item.

Discussion:

1. Preparation assignment

Ask students to open their books to the Staying Healthy in College section. Go around and record points if they marked check marks for things they are doing well, stars for things they could improve.

2. First Aid Kit

“How many of you have a first aid kit in your apartment?” “What does it have in it?”

Show sample first aid kit. Have students open to the page in their books showing the list as you go through the items.

Assignment: Assemble your own first aid kit. Check off each item in the book. If you purchase one, you should open it and go through it, adding items as needed. When you are finished, take a picture and e-mail it to me. (This will be on the Hands-on Assignment handed out later in class.)

3. Importance of staying healthy in college

Close books. Divide students into groups of 3-4, and give a copy of the “Staying Healthy in College – group discussion questions” to each group. Ask them to discuss the following questions and write their answers on the paper. After groups are finished, ask them for their ideas. Supplement with the ideas shown.

“Why is it important to stay healthy in college?”

  • your brain needs to work well
  • need lots of energy
  • don't want to miss class due to illness
  • is it easy to get sick in crowded places

“Why is it difficult to do the things you know you should to stay healthy?”

  • peer pressure to eat junk food, stay up late, etc
  • have to prepare your own food
  • stress makes it hard to be disciplined
  • time pressure makes it hard to eat right, exercise, enough get sleep

“What will happen if you don't take care of your health?”

  • get sick more easily
  • feel more stressed
  • not have enough energy
  • can't concentrate in class
  • feel grumpy and irritable
  • have a hard time getting motivated to do your assignments
  • have difficulty remembering what you have learned
  • feel sleepy in class or while doing homework

4. What to do to stay healthy

Ask students to brainstorm in their groups the kinds of things students should do and should not do to stay healthy. See how many they can list in a limited time. If they seem to be running out of ideas, let them use the book.

Go around to each group and ask for one item on their list and say why it is important. Discuss the details without giving hard and fast guidelines.

Sample list

Things to do:
  • Wash your hands.
  • Carry and use hand sanitizer.
  • Keep your living space clean.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Get adequate exercise.
  • Dress for the weather.
  • Get enough water to drink.
  • Eat whole grain foods.
  • Eat breakfast.
  • Eat healthy snacks.
  • Eat lots of fruits and veggies.
  • Eat foods with calcium (milk, yogurt, cheese).
  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Seek help for depression and anxiety.
  • Wear a seatbelt.
  • Use sunscreen.
/ Things to limit or avoid:
  • too much processed food with too many ingredients
  • tobacco
  • drugs
  • alcohol
  • soda
  • salt
  • artificial sweeteners
  • sugar
  • foods high in fat, especially saturated fat or trans fat
  • fried foods
  • caffeine
  • unsafe sex

5. Hands-on Assignment

Give out Hands-on Assignment.

  • Review first aid kit assignment.
  • Discuss the idea of choosing one thing to improve your health. Look at the items you marked with a star in the book for ideas. Give the following examples:

no soda for a week; drink water instead

eat a good breakfast every day

eat a healthy snack every afternoon

carry water around and drink it

take a 20 minute walk every afternoon

no fries for a week

go to bed at 10:30 every night

  • Make a plan for how you will do this thing for one week (starting tomorrow!). Think ahead of what challenges you might have, and make a plan to overcome them. Tell roommates, family, or friends about your goal and enlist their help. Then put your plan into action. Notice how the change you are making affects how you feel during that week.
  • Write a paragraph when the week is over telling how it went, what challenges you had and how you overcome them (or didn't) and what effects this had on your health and ability to function as a student.