Image by Autumn Marceau, courtesy of Creative Commons
Written by Camila Fernandez/BBC Managing Editor
As I stare ill-fatedly into my carb-food-filled refrigerator, I think of my vulnerability to what unhealthy snack could satisfy my emotional distress.
My body is tired, but my mouth and stomach impulse me to devour, dare I say it — nutella delightfully creamed over glowing marshmallows and graham crackers. As the taste of the joyful treat runs through my mind, I peer over my shoulder to find that it’s 2 a.m. and I’m still working on my chemistry project.
Surely I’m not the only student at FIU who turns to food or coffee to help relieve stress from school, work, relationships and just plain fatigue. Even though we are conscientious that impulsive eating or addiction to caffeine is harmful, we do it anyways.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3 in 10 college students are overweight, and clearly, this fault may just be at the hands of America. Our country is fast-paced, never sleeps and always on the move to remain the top dog of this psychotic world.
Take a look at your schedule, and ask yourself what your motives are behind working a full-time job as a full-time student, while being pressured by the State to quickly graduate out of college. This is a particular case, but we all have made sacrifices to be where we are and to be where we want to go.
We’re encouraged to be fit, exercise, follow juicing diet recipes, resort to nutritional products like Herbalife and disconnect from our outside world through yoga. I don’t disagree that these suggestions are effective, but do we all truly have the time anymore to live a healthier lifestyle?
If you’re a freshmen student and a new-comer to college life, unhealthy eating, late night sleeping habits and lack of exercise ring a bell for you. College-life offers a wide variety of temptations — at FIU, you have fast-food at Taco Bell and Burger King. Outside of campus, party and beer are the highlight.
If you want to try to go healthier, you might find that eating at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus Salad Creations in PG 5 Marketplace can be pricy. Biscayne Bay Campus students, are even more limited with only four dining places to choose from compared to the 20+ at MMC.
For freshmen, transitioning from high school and adapting to a college environment isn’t something that happens from night to day. You’ve become more independent and you’re setting yourself higher standards to be number one in your field. I believe FIU can take you a step closer to your aspirations, but remind yourself that without good health, you can do nothing.
Recently I’ve decided to have my own fitness instructor. I know what many of you may be thinking — this girl is deranged, that’s expensive. However, I must admit it has been well worth the pay. Exercising and eating right has transformed my life abundantly. Forget the nutella! — just joking.
Setting a balance for our lives can be a difficult task, but if we decide to remain in nasty and detrimental habits, how can we move forward in such a demanding economy? For BBC students, relaxing is easier than for the main campus students. We’ve got the calm waters of our magnificent bay, a quieter environment than at MMC and a well-provided REC Center.
Just take a look at the Italians, the French and the Spanish, their workplace is centered around a more balanced lifestyle. Sure America triumphs over them economically, but I would sure appreciate a “siesta,” or “afternoon nap,” like the Spanish do.
camila.fernandez@fiusm.com