Going away to university for the first time is exciting for anyone and for lots of people it’s their first real taste of independence living away from home. But with new friends to make, new places to discover and, hopefully, the chance to study a subject that you’re passionate about, it’s all too easy to pay a bit less attention to taking care of your health. So here are five handy tips to help make sure that you stay healthy all term long. Register with a local dentist and GP However healthy you may be, it’s vital that registering with a local GP and dentist is high on your “to do” list in the first few weeks of term – even if you are already registered with one at home. That’s because if you do ever come down with something or break a tooth having a doctor or dentist who may be hundreds of miles away won’t do you much good! Eat healthy It may be a tired old cliché that students live on a diet of beans on toast and save up all their washing to take home in the holidays – but it also contains a grain of truth. So making sure that you have a balanced diet is important. There are lots of student and beginners’ cookery books available packed with low cost recipes for one. So make sure you pack one when you go – and find a local launderette! Get enough sleep You’ll probably find yourself being plunged into an exciting social whirl starting in fresher’s week and carrying on from there. So it’s all too easy to leap in feet first and grab every opportunity of a night out that comes your way. But remember, you’re main reason for being at uni is to work and the only way that you’ll be able to do this is by not being too tired to go to lectures. So be disciplined and try to get at least 8 hours’ sleep in the week – but the weekend can be a different matter . . . Join a sports club or team Another great advantage of uni is the sheer number of clubs available to join including ones for most sports and games. From football to skiing and judo to squash you’ll probably find there’s just the right for one for you. Joining one is also a great way to meet new people with the same interest as you. Get regular health checks As well as having dental health checks every six months you should also book a regular sight test with a local optician. After all, if you do find that your eyesight’s changed and you need glasses it won’t be very good for reading white boards in large lecture theatres. Hearing is another thing it’s sensible to be aware of. If you do ever find it’s getting harder to pick up what people are saying then a trip to a nearby hearing specialist would be a good idea. They’ll be able to test whether you have any hearing issues and suggest solutions such as hidden hearing aids found here. Hopefully all these tips will help you to enjoy a healthy and happy time at university. Just remember that you’re there to work hard as well as play hard and you should be well on track to really make the most of your potential!