Study Hacks and Healthy Eating

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

With finals right around the corner, we know it can be a stressful and chaotic few weeks for students. We're giving you a few tips and tricks to be your absolute best on exam day! 

 

Shooting for an A+ 

The most important thing to know before going on a date with your textbooks is your style of learning. The four predominant learning styles are:  

• Visual  
• Auditory 
• Reading/Writing 
• Kinesthetic
  

A visual learner benefits from visual aids like graphs, videos or presentations and an auditory learner likely learns best from verbal communication. A student who prefers reading/writing will learn best with text-heavy sources and kinesthetic learners work best with hands-on work.  

Knowing all of that, now we dive into a few things that could make the process a little easier! 

1. Rewrite your notes. Note taking all comes down to organization, I recommend color coding as it can help you mentally group coursework together.  

1. Chew gum. Chewing gum increases alertness which seems like a valuable thing when studying, don't you think? For association tactics, you could try chewing the same flavor while studying and taking the exam. 

1. Listen to music. Music can be a good way to improve your mood during study sessions but be careful of music with vocals. Vocals can be distracting and take away from the text you are studying – try finding instrumental versions of your favorite music or the classical genre.  

 

 

Fuel for the brain  

Another really important part of being prepared to tackle your exams is being healthy. Our bodies simply cannot function without the right nutrients. To learn more, we talked to the University Health Services nutritionist, Angie VanDenbark to provide more information on how to prioritize your health as a student and where to find the healthiest options on campus! 

 

Q: Why is it important for students to prioritize their nutritional health? 

A: Prioritizing nutrition is important for students because research has shown that eating a variety of nutritious food is beneficial for physical and mental health. Our body and brain use carbohydrates as their main source of energy, so not eating enough can affect the way we feel and function.  Being able to concentrate and focus is important for successful study habits.  If you are too tired, feel sluggish, or have no energy - you won't be able to concentrate or have the motivation to study well.  I tell students all the time that they will feel the way that they eat, meaning that healthier foods give you more vitamins and minerals that are important for energy and brain health.  

 

Q: What are some ways a student can begin to implement more healthy habits in their routine? 

A: Small changes are the best way to develop healthier eating habits.  Not skipping meals by carrying snacks such as granola, protein bars, fruits, or nuts are a good way to have food for energy when you are too busy to stop for a meal.  Make one healthier decision each day to improve your nutrition.  For instance, choose water or beverages with no sugar instead of regular soda, consider the portion of the food you are served - quite often it is enough for two meals so share with a friend or save some for later, choose whole grain bread instead of white bread on sandwiches, and add vegetables to wraps and sandwiches.  

  

Q: What healthy and cost-efficient options are offered on campus? 

A:  Kerr Drummond: 

• Country BBQ has *Choose Orange meals available. 

North Dining: 

• Tuesdays and Thursdays at The Carvery there are *Choose Orange meals with rotisserie chicken. 
• The Natural has flatbread pizza and panini sandwiches that include salad as a side option. 

Student Union: 

• Plaza Corner Café offers well-rounded meals such as grilled cheese paired with salad or soup. 
• Red Earth Kitchen has a combo meal for breakfast and lunch. The lunch meal has 3 choices: country fried steak, a rotating meat option, and a rotating vegetarian option. 
• Pizza by the slice at Mambo 
• Bread and Beyond offers a large salad that can sometimes be split into two meals.
  

Campus convenience stores offer "heat and eat" meals as well as premade bowls prepared by University Dining Services (gluten/allergen friendly options available). 

 *Choose Orange is a logo placed on food items to indicate a healthier dining option.  

 

Q: Where can students find healthy recipes? 

A:  Students can reference sites such as the Oklahoma Nutrition Information & Education Project, SNAP, and MyPlate Kitchen for recipes that have been tested and analyzed. 

 

 

We want you to be as successful as possible during your final exams, Cowboys, but remember nobody is more in control of your academic success than you. The first step is discipline and determination. Happy studying!