5 Wellness Tips Every Toronto Student Should Know 

Navigating a big city like Toronto can be a lot for anybody to handle, but it can be especially difficult for students. I have to be intentional about taking care of myself, so here are 5 wellness tips that help me keep my life balanced.

1. Move Your Body

There are many forms of exercise that are free and accessible to students, and it can be difficult to know where to begin. Walking is my personal favourite, but everything from yoga and mat Pilates, to running, dancing and weightlifting, are great ways to keep active. It can be difficult to motivate yourself to start a workout, but you’ll never regret one. Take advantage of the gyms and fitness centres at school, go to classes that are offered, and don’t forget, the city is a gym in itself. Go on a long walk to explore neighbourhoods you’ve yet to visit, hike at Evergreen Brick Works, or rent a bike and cycle along the waterfront.

2. Eat Properly & Sufficiently

As a student, it’s easy to get busy, and forget to eat. When this happens, people often choose fast food to save time, while compromising on health. There are steps we can take to make things easier for ourselves, such as designating a day each week to grocery shopping. Buying quick and easy carbs like rice and pasta, an array of vegetables, easy to incorporate sauces like hoisin, or curry pastes that can easily be mixed with coconut milk, can help make cooking simple. Another suggestion is meal prepping, which not only saves time, but helps with decision fatigue, something I experience quite a bit as a busy student.

3. Keep a Physical Planner

Writing things out and giving yourself time away from a screen is not only beneficial for your brain, but given how digital everything is nowadays, it also helps keep your motor skills and abilities sharp when you write things out by hand. Most schoolwork is done entirely digitally nowadays, so this change can be refreshing, and your brain will appreciate the break. It can also help improve your organization skills, since you have to create your own system, rather than using software that does the sorting for you.

4. Prioritize Both Socializing & Alone Time

It can be hard to find a balance between spending time with others and yourself, but I find it helpful to engage in both. Spending time with friends relieves stress, and it doesn’t have to mean ignoring your schoolwork. I love to plan study dates with my friends where we sit in the library or at a cute cafe and work side by side. It is also just as important to value your time alone. Taking walks, going out to eat, sitting in the park, going to the cinema, and trying new cafes, are all things that can be enjoyed independently. Incorporating social experiences with movement can also be a way to kill two birds with one stone: take exercise classes with a friend or challenge each other to run and motivate one another.

5. Last But Not Least, Sleep

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, being awake for 17 hours is similar to having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%. Sleep deprivation is common among students, with many of us pulling all-nighters to meet deadlines and study for exams, but this is extremely counterproductive. The brain can’t function properly when it’s sleep deprived, so we’re doing ourselves a disservice by staying up to work. Close the laptop, put the pen and paper down, and try to sleep for at least 8 hours, it’ll make all the difference.

These are general wellness tips that help me prioritize myself, but this does not serve as a substitute for professional support. For anyone who needs more, remember to take advantage of campus counselling and other mental health resources provided by your school.