It’s no secret that throughout university, us students can fall into unhealthy habits of consuming one too many Pot Noodles and the only exercise being walking back from the club after a long night out. Whilst these activities can of course be a part of the uni-life, its important to not repeat too many unhealthy patterns so we can live better for longer. This blog will feature some ideas that can help you start a health-kick if you want one or think about your choices ahead of joining us this September!

Beach walks, jogs and runs

Regular walks in our beautiful nearby areas allow you to keep fit for free whilst taking advantage of such stunning scenery. A popular route for me is the 1 mile course from Bournemouth Pier to Boscombe Pier which is about a 30 minute walk, passing the sea and ending in a new, cute, town.  You can get a friend or two involved so you can have your catch up whilst getting those steps in.  Other nice walking locations in the local area include:

• East Cliff footpath (left of the pier – amazing views!)
• Boscombe Chime Gardens
• Bournemouth Pier to Sandbanks Beach

SportBU Gym and classes

If you’re thinking about joining a gym, the Uni one is definitely an appropriate option! Personally for me I prefer monthly and daily passes as there’s less pressure about going, but the annual pass is only £140 (about £11 a month!) for unlimited gym access that includes:

• Classes and social sport
• Other access to other University gyms around UK
• Health and fitness workshops
• Access to free health check
• Sports massage drop-ins
• 14-day advance booking for fitness classes
• Bring a Friend for Free days
• Discounted membership for a referred friends

Sports clubs and societies

If you’re new to the university you may not be aware of the giant selection of Sport clubs that BU offer. Multiple of my friends and class mates keep healthy and busy through being a part of a sport, plus there’s tons to choose from. Some of the sports include:

• BU Runners
• Equestrian society
• Climbing Club
• Darts society
• Rounders society
• Netball society
• Surf club
• Swimming club

To join a society you can head over to SUBU.org.uk and see all your options!

Meditation

Physical health isn’t the only thing to look after whilst at university, your mental wellbeing is too. For some people, and it has been proven, that the gym and walks can help you to clear your mind and destress. However, apps like Headspace have shown to help people feel less stressed and induce focus in their day-to-day life.

Meditating can just take up a few minutes of a day and can be made so simple when using contemporary apps. Headspace actually has a cheap student plan, plus a subscription option with Spotify so the app is more accessible for us at uni.

Meal planning with healthy food

Cooking can become a chore sometimes as it’s a repeated activity that we have to do every single day. Therefore, one way I like to make it more exciting and simpler is by planning and prepping what meals I will roughly do each day. Starting with a shopping list, you can be in charge of what creations you may make next and can ensure there’s enough fruit and vegetables on there for a healthy diet.

A few tips for buying healthy:

• Frozen vegetable will last longer
• Share items like lettuce and onions (if you can) with housemates to avoid waste
• Find alternatives, e.g dark chocolate over milk.

Affordable healthy meals:

• Salmon and rice
• Vegetable Stir Fry
• Sweet potato and chicken curry
• Tomato Risotto
• Butternut Squash or Tomato soup
• Spaghetti Bolognese (cheap in big batches)