Leenika Belfield-Martin | Lifestyle Editor
Unsplash User Manan Chhabra
College is the time to develop professional skills and lifelong relationships. Unfortunately, many students also develop some unhealthy practices during things during this time: bad habits. And, like many things, these can stick with you for life. Here are five of the worst ones to have:
Bad Habit number 1: Impulse buying
If you have gone to Target to purchase one thing and left with 20, you may have an impulse buying issue. Impulse buying is “the buying of goods without planning to do so in advance, as a result of a sudden whim or impulse,” according to Google Dictionary. Pro tip: Make a list and stick to it whenever you go out shopping. By doing this, you’ll find that your shopping trips will be shorter and the numbers in your bank account larger.
Bad Habit number 2: Maintaining Toxic Relationships
Who you surround yourself can make or break you. So, it is important to always surround yourself with individuals who reflect your morals and motives. It is also essential that these people understand your boundaries, and that you understand when the value of a friend group is coming to an end. Once people show you who they truly are, believe them.
Bad Habit number 3: Chronic burnout
Students can burn out due to stress. Like a flame at the end of a matchstick, students’ inner fire may ultimately leave them in darkness. Fear not, there is a simple solution to this problem: Give yourself a break. This means now in 2019, and in 2029 and every year between or after.
Bad Habit number 4: Eating out too often
Millennials spend on average about $3,000 annual on eating out, according to a 2016 study conducted by the USDA. That’s a ton of money that could’ve gone to bills, tuition, books and other necessities. Not only does eating out cause you to spend your money excessively, but it can also have adverse effects on your health. Get comfortable cooking meals for yourself instead of relying on restaurants.
Bad Habit number 5: Negative outlets for stress
If you think you are stressed out now in college, think about how it’s going to be in the future when you have bills to worry about, children to feed and other responsibilities that may cause a lot of stress.
Some people have resorted to dangerous methods to cope with this stress. These include substance dependency or, in some cases, abuse. Other potentially harmful outlets include violence and binge eating. Whatever your coping mechanism is for stress, make sure that it is positively affecting your life. This means keeping a journal, exercising, meditating or anything else that you can use to relieve your stress.
So, next time you think about eating out for a meal or randomly buying something, just consider about the person you want to become in the future. The identity of that person depends on the decisions you make now.
The Hampton Script 