Nutrition Sciences Major Discusses Managing Stress, Schedules, and Self-Care

Hi.

It’s 5 a.m. You’re a pre-med student and sleep doesn’t apply to you because you have the magical bean juice called coffee on your top shelf. You slide a shirt over your shoulders, brush your teeth (and floss because you’re extra), make your bed, and decide to make a temporary home on your yoga mat before walking in the September-dyed breeze to the gym.

Lift. Music. Shower. Class. Eat. Homework. Sleep. Rinse and repeat.

That’s how most mornings start for me here at UNewHaven. Granted, it’s not always perfect. Rainy days can make it impossible to get up that early sometimes, but keeping a consistent routine that involves caring for my own physical and mental health is worth it more often than not. Despite my concentration in medicine, that doesn’t mean I always choose to acknowledge the ‘healthier’ sides of student life, like getting sleep or having adequate social time. For the most part, being pre-med requires the acknowledgement that you’re a little crazy and overly ambitious, but so, so in love with the subject that you’re willing to do almost anything to understand it – but there are limits; you cannot be constantly churning out work without losing something of yourself in the process.

So, how do I avoid becoming a zombie, you ask? Well, here’s your answer, folks:

1. Time management
   • Energy levels. Whether you are a first-year student or a senior, being able to properly set aside time for academics, sports, work, etc is a skill that will always fluctuate, as your everyday life isn’t linear. Keep in mind that energy levels also play a role in this. You know the terms ‘night owl’ or ‘morning person’? Those are great examples of showing when people have higher levels of energy in a particular time of day. Observing your energy patterns over a period of time (i.e. you realize that a certain food gives you a lot of energy, or that you need an afternoon nap at 3 p.m. or else you can’t do anything) can really help you accomplish tasks more effectively and efficiently. At the end of the day, more often than not, your professors are looking for the quality of your work rather than the quantity of it; they will know – through experience – what your best and “meh” efforts look like.
   • Schedule. After analyzing your energy fluctuations, see how you can make that work with your schedule. Depending on that class, it may or may not be a good idea to bring some coffee, water or a snack along to keep your energy levels up. As a nutrition major, I’d recommend a banana as it contains easy-to-process carbohydrates that your brain will suck up instantly, improving your ability to focus. Overall, your time management is a lot more than just taking time to study.
2. Due dates
   • I’ll admit it: I’m a teacher’s pet. I like being smart, I like school, and I certainly don’t have a problem embracing my inner nerd. But I’m also a teenager. Sometimes I would much rather eat pizza and doodle in my sketchbook than learn about tetrahedral structures. The thing about due dates in college, though, is that they’re often non-negotiable unless you have a valid reason to not turn something in. In the past, I’ve worked with truly wonderful professors who, so long as you have a valid reason, are usually flexible with extensions regarding work – but this won’t always happen. So, my best advice to you is: Fridays.
     • In cases in which one may have a job, balancing your schoolwork with your professional life is a challenge that I recommend. For example: I work as a blogger (which I love) and as a hostess downtown (which I also love). Both of these positions take time to do, and I cannot multitask while performing them. However, because I work weekends, I try completing all my homework that may be due on Sunday by Friday morning or afternoon so that I don’t have to stay up until midnight figuring out my sagittal and transverse planes. Completing your assignments for a class one or two days in advance isn’t only a good way to practice efficiency, but also teaches you discipline.
3. Time for self.
   • Like I said before, you can’t always be producing work. You’re not a pulley system, and definitely not a robot. While the schoolwork that you do is important for your future, there’s not much of a future to be had unless you grow within your present. I understand that may be a little tricky to wrap your head around, so let me ask you this: Was there ever a hobby you did as a kid that is oddly applicable to where you are now?
   • For example: I’ve been an art kid (a “draw-er”) for basically as long as I can remember. One of the key things that you learn in art is hand-eye coordination, as that enables you to draw things in proportion to themselves. Now, apply that to driving. That’s plenty of hand-eye coordination. How about chemistry when you’re titrating? You’re focused on the milliliters while your hand rests on the valve to make sure your sample doesn’t turn fuschia. Small things like this can really help us in the future, and if you neglect the non-academic parts of yourself such as hobbies, talents, or things that just bring you life, then you won’t grow as a person. Now, I’m not saying to throw your homework out the window. That’s bad. A big no-no. Your life right now, as a college student, isn’t supposed to be all work or all play, but a balance. A really big part of college that people don’t always see is the life skills you pick up; the things you realize that your parents could never teach you.

The academic skills you acquire will play into your real-world capabilities, and vice versa. You memorized things from the first grade to prepare your brain to take in large amounts of information and retain them. Patterns were taught to you in the form of shapes and colors because when you’re living on your own, it’s important to recognize your surroundings and pick up on familiar patterns that can help guide you to somewhere. It’s all rather interesting when you think about it, really. Yet, I believe the biggest lesson college has taught me so far was that it’s you.

It’s all you.

It’s your motivation, your work ethics, your own ethics and morals about a situation, etc. While there is a certain hopelessness in this, remind yourself that you are more capable than you realize. Trust me on that. From experience, none of the students of UNewHaven were accepted because someone was feeling nice. We earned our place here through hard work. So, when the doubts come up, and they will, remember that people believe in you, even if you haven’t even met them. It’s amazing.

Alright, enough sappy talk. This week, for me, was stressful as heck. Like, it was rough, but in the best way possible. Like I said before, I love learning, but there are only so many brain cells available. Currently, my classes look something like this:

• Emergency Medical Technician I
• Organic Chemistry
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Bioethics (Honors)
• Intro to Health Professions (online)
• Exploring Dietetics (asynchronous)
• Chemistry and Biology Lab

Yes, I’m insane. But don’t worry! I thought it through (mostly). Many of these courses will overlap in what they teach, which means that if I study for A&P, I’m studying for EMT I as well; it’s a ‘two birds with one stone’ type of deal I suppose. Though, this doesn’t take away how overwhelmed I felt this week with everything. While it was good to be back on school grounds and to see my friends, I forgot how much brain power and walking college takes. With this, this is our game plan for next week:

1. Still eat, sleep, and lift heavy things
2. Go hiking and hide from society
3. Keep ahead of coursework
4. Breathe
5. Have fun :)

I feel like that’s a pretty sensible list. I really need to stop staying up until midnight, though. That’s becoming an issue, haha.

I hope all of you have a lovely day, and that your first week of college – either the first or perhaps last – was a good one. Maybe try making your own observations about yourself, and seeing if any changes can be made in your lifestyle to make it better. Or maybe sleep in. I dunno. You do you, dude.

With peace, love, and peanut butter,
Beatrice

Beatrice Glaviano ’26 is a nutrition sciences major at the University of New Haven.