Is it possible to stay healthy in law school?

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Courtney Boykin, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

Is it possible to stay healthy in law school? I recently overheard a conversation among students in a class about maintaining proper health in law school. We typically have these required meetings throughout the lunch hour and often times the school funds lunch since we are required to attend these sessions. I’m not sure what happens at your school, but at my school, for contractual purposes, the food tends to be pizza. Now, full disclaimer, I’m not a huge fan of pizza, but by the time you attend your 3rd or 4th Meeting with pizza, even a pizza connoisseur would get a little tired of it.

Healthy in Law School

Most students typically complain about the pizza lunches but recently I’ve heard from students whose health could literally falter due to the inhumane amounts of pizza. These health issues for students range from severe food allergies to diabetes.

It sort of posed the question: How do you stay healthy during law school?

Now, I’m by no means a health expert, but I figured I’d at least offer my aspirational list (the things I try to do).

Healthy in Law School

  1. Exercise (Easier said than done, I know. I tend to be better at this in the Spring, but I try year-round.)
  2. Consciously eat (Law School makes us super busy, but I try to avoid frivolous eating. You have to make your meals count. It’s not about eating 3 square meals a day, but at the very least I try to be aware of what I’m eating.)
  3. Take a break (I am a full-fledged supporter of self-care. If you need a day…TAKE IT.)
  4. Drink water (My first semester of law school I noticed I wasn’t drinking enough water. I would typically opt for a Diet Coke or a diet Mountain Dew, but I quickly realized that’s not the best approach. Enjoy your sodas, but make sure you give your body what it REALLY wants…water!)
  5. Community accountability (My family tends to be my accountability partners. When I have been eating poorly, not getting enough sleep, or things of that sort, they check me on it. Accountability is key!)
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