A common joke between college students today is what would happen if tragedy befell us. We tend to laugh and play along, trying to see who can come up with the craziest idea. Is it really that funny? What does it say about our generation of leaders if our humor is so dark and twisted? I believe that it is a projection of how we feel about our own health.

Whenever you talk to an adult about going to college, chances are that they mention the importance of grades, sobriety and getting involved. While these are all very important, society often forgets the equal importance of health.

Without a physical vessel to transport our brains, how can our rising leaders reach their full potential? So many of us suffer from diminishing mental and physical health and neglect the obvious signs of it. Over or under sleeping, lack of motivation and chronic, physical pain are some of the most common symptoms I hear from friends and peers. None of these should be considered normal at our age.

Many students suffer from chronic conditions and don’t know it. Physicians don’t want us to believe that we may be sick, but this often makes things worse. Students could be suffering from maladies that can be easily solved, making their lives better.

A good way to combat this is to ask for blood work to be done if you notice something amiss. If a result is too low or too high, it’s something that can be easily solved by taking supplements or improving your diet regimen. It can be daunting if there is something more serious going on and surgery is required. I recently went through this experience myself, but I’m glad I made the choice for my body and am now doing so much better! I can actually feel the difference and have felt the improvement manifest in other ways. I feel more focused and motivated when it comes to work and school. Although I’m still limited in my physical activity while I recuperate, I can’t wait to see the how it changes in the future.

We should normalize taking care of ourselves physically and emotionally. Whether it’s routine blood tests to have your vitamins checked or going to the gym regularly just to release stress, it’s important to have a grip on your own health. After all, the person who knows your body best is you!