Living away from home

University provides a mixture of experiences, particularly in the early weeks and whilst often exciting can also create stress, fears, uncertainties and pressures which may negatively impact on health and wellbeing. In addition some students can feel overwhelmed, homesick, lonely and unmotivated in particular if they are living away from home for the first time, distant from support structures such as family and friends.

We hope the following information provies you with relevant and valuable information to help cope with the challenges and realities of everyday life at University. However if things get difficult this information does not replace the need to go and talk to a health professional or university support person (eg student advisor, unit chair, lecturer, tutor, health service or counselling staff in Student Life).

Shopping, healthy eating & recipes

market stalls

You are what you eat and what you eat determines how well you look, feel and perform each and every day! Eating away from home means learning about eating in a healthy balanced way, avoiding fad diets and learning how to prepare healthy, low cost , quick meals that taste good! Good shopping habits are a key part of this.

Shopping and meal planning

Set aside a weekly budget for food and buy to your budget.
Write down everything you spend. This will truly amaze you! Do it for a week or two.
Set yourself a weekly food plan which lists all meals for the week. This makes purchasing items at the supermarket quicker and easier and ensures you wont have to go to the supermarket during the week to pick up forgotten items.
Shop at the local market for fresh produce and meat. Alternatively, be sure to shop at large supermarket chains for cheaper priced items. Watch for weekly specials and avoid shopping at convenience stores or milk-bars.
If you live in shared accommodation, consider taking turns to cook. This will allow for less people to be in the kitchen at once and will save on food wastage.
Buy only what you need for the week. Not only will this lower the shopping bill, it willalso ensure you are not purchasing items that are not needed.
Plan meals with a high vegetable content. This will not only save you money but is a healthy option.
Buy foods such as - soups, pasta and pasta sauces, rice, beans and lentils, meat and fish, vegetables and fruit plus extras such as spices, herbs, sauces and stock cubes

Drink mainly water (tap water is fine in Australia as is bottled water) and avoid large amounts of alcohol and soft drinks, water is better for you and MUCH cheaper!
Take lunch and snacks to University. Not only will you save time and money but you will know exactly what you are eating and therefore ensure it’s healthy. Include snacks such as fruit, yogurt, dried fruit and nuts.
Deakin Health service staff and past students have put together a student recipe book full of cheap, easy to prepare and healthy meal ideas. Enjoy.

Exercise - any moving will do!

Benefits to you

While there are many long term benefits of exercise it is important to know how exercise can help you NOW as a university student.

Improved memory, concentration and study performance
Improved sleep, mood and a decrease in anxiety or depressive symptoms
Increased energy, strength and fitness
Enhanced ability to cope with stress
Maintaining a healthy weight and body shape (including muscle mass)

Affordable exercise for students

Students typically live on a tight budget and sometimes fitness club/organised group sporting team memberships aren’t affordable. Try these simple, effective, low cost exercise and fitness alternatives:

Go for a walk. Most of the larger Deakin campuses have an on or near campus circuit suitable for walking. Best of all walking can be done at your own pace, and is suitable for all fitness levels. Walking can be an individual activity: however think about creating a walking group with other students as a social, safe and a fun way to exercise.
Alternatively exercise with your favourite music on! Challenge yourself by timing how long it takes to complete your chosen circuit and try to reduce the time it takes. Alternatively determine several suitable circuits that you can complete in different amounts of time. For example you don’t want to have an hour circuit if you only have a spare twenty minutes.
Use a pedometer - to know how far you’ve travelled and set goals for yourself. Aim for 10,000 plus steps a day and join one of the online pedometer challenge sites.
Purchase relatively cheap exercise equipment such as dumb bells, a yoga mat, a skipping rope and/or a physio ball. This equipment can be used in a variety of exercise activities and is a long term investment. If you live in a share house, split the costs and purchase the equipment for the house.
Design a mini-circuit for yourself. Exercises that could be incorporated include:lunges, push-ups, bicep curls and shoulder presses with dumb bells, dips (using a bench or chair), and sit-ups, squats, skipping and jogging. Remember to make your circuit achievable. The last thing you want to do is be so sore the next day that you never want to exercise again! Start with 2-3 sets of 10 repititions and slowly increase.
Ride a bike. Not only is it good for your health but it is a cost effective and environmentally sound transport option.
Discuss your exercise and sporting interests with your friends and/or housemates. Chances are you could have similar interests and enter a team sport or have an informal game of basketball (for example).
Check out your on campus fitness club and/or student association (DUSA) for information about on campus gym membership and individual/team sporting options.
Move whenever and wherever you can. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Every bit helps!

And whilst you’re studying remember......

One of the most important things about studying is to take regular breaks. Sounds impossible, right? Who worries about breaks when you’ve got an assignment to finish. Its difficult to take time out however IT IS A MUST DO!
Regular study breaks, good nutrition, exercise and regular sleep all improve you’re ability to learn, retain information
and peform well in your studies and during exams.
Regular short breaks allow the brain time to consolidate information received, so it can be organised within your brain. As a result, the information is easier for your brain to retrieve and you can fit more in!
A short break is a perfect time to give your body the food it needs to help you think and learn. Eat a healthy snack and drink some water.
Doing some simple type of exercise or stretches will relieve muscle tension and increase blood flow around your body.

Other tips for living away from home

Follow these useful tips to thrive not just survive living away from home!