The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook

The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook Learn what college students REALLY need to know about injuries, illnesses, anxieties & more!

06/08/2026

👍🏼 No Cap! (For REAL!) Slow, controlled breathing will cause a physiological slowing of your heart rate, which in turn, tells your BRAIN that you are not anxious. Seriously!

💚 Reposting this reel for mental health awareness & for every Class of 2026 high school grad who is hyperventilating thinking about heading to college! You are so not alone!!

🙋🏼‍♀️ I use this technique ANY TIME I feel anxious, in any setting (usually box breathing, but anything that counts & holds breaths works)

➕ I ALSO have a prescription from my doctor for propranolol, a non-addictive, take “as needed” medication that will slow my heart & calm my mind. I NEED this every time I fly (like today) ✈️

🙋🏽‍♀️ If YOU have a favorite breath-slowing technique that you use to calm your brain, please share in the comments for all of us!

🎓 This week I asked the college students on my advisory board what their advice is for incoming freshman regarding healt...
06/05/2026

🎓 This week I asked the college students on my advisory board what their advice is for incoming freshman regarding health care, and their message was clear: start practicing adulting NOW, before move-in day

🚨Managing your own healthcare may not be as exciting as dorm shopping, but knowing how to make appointments, refill prescriptions, and access campus health resources can save a TON of stress once classes begin & you’re on your own

‼️Parents: this summer is a great time to gradually hand over these responsibilities while you’re still available to help if needed- my students suggested you talk through everything but then encourage your teen to do everything themselves (with you available via texting to help if needed)

🙋‍♀️What’s one thing you wish you’d known before starting college?

😬College students are experts at sharing drinking advice🤦‍♀️The problem? Much of that advice is completely wrong‼️These ...
06/03/2026

😬College students are experts at sharing drinking advice

🤦‍♀️The problem? Much of that advice is completely wrong

‼️These things NOT sober you up:
❌ Bread
❌ Coffee
❌ Throwing up
❌ Drinking beer before liquor
❌ Water before bed

⏰ ONLY TIME lowers your blood alcohol concentration (BAC)

🧐Knowing the facts can help you make safer decisions for yourself and your friends

📌 Save this post for later and share it with your favorite students heading to college

🎓

🎓 College freshmen: Stop mindlessly scrolling & start GOOGLING stuff about your new school that will help you settle in ...
06/01/2026

🎓 College freshmen: Stop mindlessly scrolling & start GOOGLING stuff about your new school that will help you settle in & find friends quickly!

👍🏼 One of the best ways to prevent homesickness is to start building connections before you ever arrive on campus

✅ This week, spend 15 minutes searching:
🔎 “Top 10 most popular/coolest/diverse/fun/exciting clubs at my college”
🔎 “Most unique clubs at my college” (this one always gets super interesting results!) 
🔎 “Best volunteer organizations”
🔎 “Best intramural sports”
🔎 “Freshman-friendly clubs”
🔎 “Campus traditions”

3️⃣ Then pick THREE completely different groups you’d like to check out during your first month

➡️Every club introduces you to a different group of people

⭕️ The more circles you explore, the more likely you are to find friends who truly feel like your people (& this will change often the first semester especially)

‼️One more tip: don’t make your entire college experience depend on one sorority, dance team, acapella group, club, or organization. These are GREAT if you get in, but counting on them & then NOT getting in can crash your first semester experience

❤️Pursue the opportunities that excite you…AND keep your options open

🧺Some of the strongest college friendships begin in the most unexpected places- like laundry rooms, or in line for coffee

🤦‍♀️ PS when Instagram convinces you that everyone else is having the perfect first semester? Realize your instagram looks the same to others, & know that most freshmen are still figuring things out, too

❤️Finding your people takes time, & it changes as you gain confidence & find friends who truly share your interests, passions & choices

💀 “Blackout” drunk means you have a memory gap the next day, because your blood alcohol levels rose too high, too fast-w...
05/29/2026

💀 “Blackout” drunk means you have a memory gap the next day, because your blood alcohol levels rose too high, too fast-which turns off your brain’s ability to turn short term memories into long term memories

‼️ College freshman often end up “blackout drunk” trying to keep up drinking with their peers- especially if they are new to drinking

⁉️ Two people who look identical (same gender, weight & height) can drink the same amount of alcohol & one may have a blackout while the other does not.

💊 Medications can interact with alcohol & make blackouts more likely

🍕Drinking on an empty stomach makes alcohol get absorbed more quickly

🍞 Eating bread at the END of your night does NOT absorb alcohol & prevent hangovers or memory loss, but eating a sandwich immediately before our while drinking does slow down the rate of alcohol absorption

🙏🏻 Be kind to anyone who tells you they “don’t remember what happened last night” - this is very rarely a made-up excuse & it’s often extremely upsetting & scary

❤️ Parents, please share this with any teens & college students in your life

🤷‍♀️ Who doesn’t want to “hurry up & relax”? Sounds great, but WAIT- because these drinks are ADDICTIVE- they contain KR...
05/28/2026

🤷‍♀️ Who doesn’t want to “hurry up & relax”? Sounds great, but WAIT- because these drinks are ADDICTIVE- they contain KRAT0M

⛽️ Next time you’re in a convenience store, gas station, or health supplement store, pay attention to all the “energy boost” products at the register- a dazzling array of addictive substances, from basic caffeine (in WAY too high doses!) to ni****ne & now KRAT0M

🤦🏼‍♀️ These “K” products are considered supplements- translation, no FDA regulation so ingredients & concentrations do not necessarily reflect contents

😡 Meanwhile, these “energy drinks” are being handed out- offered as freebies- at gyms, yoga studios, etc, with the naive recipients never expecting an addictive substances

🧪And of course, because we love to supersize everything (especially mind-altering substances), a little Krat0m leaf tea is now morphed into K-0H concentrates that are far more powerful & addictive

‼️Like alcohol & w33d, krat0m products stack on risks when combined together (also looking at you, kava) &/or layered on top of prescription psychoactive meds (ADHD, anxiety & depression meds) and this is where we see seizures, psychosis, & worse

🙏🏼 Do yourself a favor & don’t start down this risky path- watch out for energy drinks, shots, pills & powders- many will say “K” but others do not & all tout “herbal & natural” ingredients. That doesn’t equal SAFE!

🎓 Parents, please talk about this with your favorite teens & college students - especially any Class of 2026 high school grads heading to college soon

05/27/2026

😵‍💫 Migraines often happen AFTER the test (like FINALS) so if you’re suffering now, listen up!

😩 Migraines (& tension headaches) are MISERABLE , and teens often start getting these headaches during their college years

💊 While OTC pain relievers and/or prescription medications can help, the answer doesn’t always need to be pill!

👍🏼 Heated or cooling masks can provide significant relief (either alone or in combination with pain relievers)

😄I’ve tried many cooling masks that have been effective for me, but so far this is my favorite because of its inherently cool, smooth texture & the perfect amount of gentle firm pressure for my head size & personal preference- thank you OnlyCare for sending me the sample- please tag yourself in the comments (I can’t find your account here on instagram)

‼️ Since I originally posted this reel last year, I’ve actually purchased 5 more masks for my family, and honestly we all love these so much, we travel with them! Not just for migraines, but simply to block out the world and relax to go meditate or go to sleep 💤

🏃‍♀️ Also, please remember that daily aerobic exercise can be key in migraine prevention

🥗 AND Food choices absolutely play a role - talk with your doctor about keeping food diaries to help identify your triggers!

➕ Add this to your college packing list!

🛑 STOP spending your dorm budget on string lights & random decor before you invest in the one thing that actually impact...
05/26/2026

🛑 STOP spending your dorm budget on string lights & random decor before you invest in the one thing that actually impacts grades, mood, immunity, mental health, workouts, focus, AND relationships: SLEEP 😴

🏆The most underrated college success tool isn’t a planner or productivity app. It’s a bed (& sleep environment) you can actually get quality sleep in

💳Worth every penny:
✔️ Soft, comfortable sheets (FEEL before you buy!)
✔️ Foam mattress topper (thicker is not always better)
✔️ Supportive head/neck pillow
✔️ Body pillow (bonus: saves your phone from falling off the bed at 2am)
✔️ Weighted blanket (optional but helps many)
✔️ Sleep mask + sleep headphones (don’t sleep in ear pods-get a headband style sleep headphones for relaxing guided meditation, music or sleep stories)

🎓College students may brag about pulling all-nighters… but the students who consistently sleep? They’re usually the ones acing their tests (& supporting their mental health!)

😴 Optimize your sleep setup FIRST, then buy the fun decor

❤️ Trust me, your brain & anxiety will thank you later

🇺🇸 Memorial Day picnics are supposed to create memories… not food poisoning 🤢👍🏼 2 simple tips to keep your cookout safer...
05/25/2026

🇺🇸 Memorial Day picnics are supposed to create memories… not food poisoning 🤢

👍🏼 2 simple tips to keep your cookout safer this Memorial Day weekend:

‼️Use THREE separate coolers:
• Drinks (opened constantly = warmer temps)
• Raw meat
• Fruit/veggies & ready-to-eat foods

🦠 Raw meat juices can drip onto produce and spread bacteria like Salmonella, & the drink cooler usually gets too warm to safely store perishables

⏰ Set a timer for mayo-based foods:
Deviled eggs & potato salad should sit out NO MORE than:
• 1 hour if it’s over 90° ☀️
• 2 hours max if under 90° 🌞

🇺🇸 Wishing everyone a safe Memorial Day weekend!

🙏🏼 Heartfelt gratitude to the brave service members who gave their lives for our country, & to the families who carry their memory every day. We remember & honor you.

05/25/2026

🕶️ Happy Memorial Weekend! The summer heat plus all day drinking can lead to the dreaded “spins” (& of course, to alcohol toxicity) so time for a repost reminder!

👍🏼 Obviously prevention is the best - limit your alcohol intake & always alternate alcoholic drinks with water or a nonalcoholic beverage or two!

🤢 But -if you messed up & have the spins, these 3 tricks can help

👀 Open your eyes & fixate on something across the room for 20 seconds

👋🏼 touch the wall with your hand and the floor with your bare feet

✅ Place a weighted blanket or weighted stuffed animal on your lap.

👍🏼 Steadily sip on a rehydration solution like CURE or Pedialyte - but skip the straw (the extra air in your stomach can worsen nausea)

🤔 Remember how rotten this felt, so next time so you can do more to prevent it

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