CollegeHealth

Dorm Life: Must Knows

When you live in a dorm there are some health hints that you must know. College age students are at high risk for many, sometimes serious, health problems. Almost all of these are preventable and there are many common sense ways for you to stay healthy.

1. The most important things that will help you stay healthy you learned in your home and in Kindergarten.
2. Not every student in your dorm learned the necessary health habits at home, and some may have missed those classes in Kindergarten.
3. Some health habits that may have been safe in your home are not safe to do in your dorm.

Infections are a leading cause of health problems in young women, and the first line of defense against these infections, is an important organ…the skin. Any break in your skin makes you more vulnerable to infection. Some serious examples are organisms that cause hepatitis, meningitis and HIV.

Be Aware of these Health Tips for Dorm Life:

• Protect Your Skin: Your First Line of Defense.
  When your skin is healthy and intact, you have your first defense, and a strong defense, against harmful organisms that are bacterial or viral.

  If you shave, there is important information you should know to prevent nicks and transmission of infection.

  Be careful when working with nail clippers, paring knives, tools or sharp objects.

• Protect your hygiene products such as razors and toothbrushes from being "borrowed" by anyone else. You may want to keep them in a special kit.

• Some infections are shared by droplet or saliva, so don't share drinks, chapstick or water bottles with others. Read other DoubleSunrise articles about preventing infections as meningitis.

• Keep your resistance and immune system optimized. To do this, eat healthy foods and a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and get the rest your body needs. In general, taking care of yourself will enhance your health.

• When you wash your hands with soap, use mild friction for at least one minute.

• Find reliable information so that you are well informed to make the best decision for you. Health information and healthy choices will lead to your being the best that you can be…and that will support you to reach your goals and dreams.

  Written 1/01 Revised 6/22/01