College is a very important and exciting period in your life. During these years you are going to experience a lot of new things, meet new friends who you will hopefully keep for life, and do a lot of the things that will help define who you are and more importantly, who you are going to be for the rest of your life. As with all big things in life however, with all the opportunities and chances that college offers, it also brings an element of risk, and no small amount of stress.

There will be pressures on your from all directions. Your parents and family will be expecting you to do well in your studies. Your tutors will also want to see clear and fresh thinking from you and may expect a level of commitment that you are not used to. You will have a lot of social pressures as you make new friends and find your place to settle in to your new life. You may have financial pressures as you struggle to meet bills and pay for everything, perhaps for the first time in your life. Even just moving out of home and having to cook and look after yourself can be a big pressure for a lot of young people. Dont underestimate the intensity of all of these challenges and take the time to evaluate how you are doing and what you need.

For all of these reasons it is important that you do some form of physical activity while you are in college. Exercise gives you confidence and a sense of control over you life. Whether or not you have been active in high school, you should aim to be in college. If you took part in a lot of sport during school then it is always a shame if you let these stop simply because you are in a new setting. You do not have to be the star of the team or anything, but find some people to play your favourite sport with, or go for a run or a swim or a bike ride or even a regular walk. If you havent been very active up till now, then starting a new life at college is an excellent time to begin.

You may also notice that your lifestyle has some unhealthy elements at college, such as eating a lot of fast food and drinking more alcohol than you are used to. Rather than resorting to all sorts of drugs to relieve stress and anxiety give exercise a shot. You will not regret it.