Make Your Home-Away-From-Home a Healthy Living Space
By Brooke Heath
You are ready to move into your college apartment or dorm. But before you spend the day decorating and deciding where to hang your Justin Timberlake poster, you should first take a few steps toward making your home-away-from-home a safe and healthy living space.
Start with a good, deep cleaning of your entire apartment or dorm. You never know what germs were left behind by the previous residents. Consider using nontoxic cleaning supplies, such as distilled vinegar, which are healthier for you and the environment. Make sure that you make regular cleaning a habit throughout the year to avoid mold, mildew, and other allergens. Some students have trouble with keeping things clean. A Student Health 101 survey of 665 students shows that 39% are changing their sheets only once a month, and 22% are doing it less than that. Still, about 66% of students are cleaning their dorm room at least once a week.
If you live in a dorm that has a community bathroom, or one that is shared by many, don't forget your flip-flops. Nicole Perry, a sophomore at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, explains that while living in a dorm last year, she would always wear her flip-flops when showering. "My mom is a nurse, and she warned me about catching things like athlete's foot when so many others used the same shower," Perry states.
Another easy way to make your living area healthy is to add a house plant or two. This will not only help to improve the air quality of your apartment, but it is also a decorative accent.
In Case of Emergency
Other must-haves for your apartment include: a first-aid kit, icepacks, and a list of emergency telephone numbers, including the fire department, campus security, and the
student health center. Keep them readily accessible. Also, if you have any serious health conditions such as epilepsy or diabetes, share this information with your roommates so that in case of an emergency, they know how to help you.
Find Out More
Care2.com gives many ideas on how to make your living space a healthy one.
Brooke Heath is a recent graduate of Utah State University in Logan and a writer specializing in healthcare and student issues.
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