College Women’s Health: Your Back-to-School Guide to Campus & Community Care

From dorm move-in to your first exams, now that you’re settled in, let’s talk about staying healthy, stress-free, and supported all semester long.

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Navigating Student Health: Your Guide to Campus & Community Care for your college women's health

Whether you’re moving into your dorm for the first time as a freshman 🎓 or settling back in for another year, knowing where to go for medical care can save you time and stress. Here’s what you need to do:

• Locate Your Student Health Center: Most campuses offer free or low-cost medical services. Check their website for services, hours, and how appointments are scheduled.

• Identify Nearby Urgent Care, Immediate Care & ERs: For non-life-threatening illnesses, urgent care is often the best option. For true emergencies, know the closest ER location and how to get there.

• Find a Local Pharmacy: Whether you need prescriptions or over-the-counter medications, identify a 24-hour pharmacy near campus.

  📌 Source: FDA - 5 Health Tips College Women Need to Know

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Medicine Safety: Smart Practices for College Women

Taking medication safely is crucial in a busy campus environment.

• Store Medications Properly: Keep prescriptions in original containers at the correct temperature.

• Create and Keep a Medication List: You can save a medication list on your phone, in a health or your pharmacy for quick access.

• Avoid Sharing Medications: Even common pain relievers can be harmful if shared. It's especially important to keep these locked away where only you know where they are along with your other prescriptions.

• Read Labels Carefully: Always follow dosage instructions, keep an eye out for interactions and any expired or unused medication especially antibiotics should be thrown out

• Plan for Refills: Contact your pediatrician, family practice, or gynecology provider (if possible before school starts). Ask them to send a 90-day supply with refills to a pharmacy near your campus that you can pick up every 3 months. If that's not an available option for electronic prescription there, you can request set up auto-ship with your at-home pharmacy for mail-order delivery to your dorm. This is especially important for asthma inhalers, EpiPens, birth control, and mental health prescriptions.

📌 Source: FDA Medicine Safety for College Women

📌 Source: FDA Consumer Updates

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Tech-Savvy Health & Safety Tools

Your phone can literally save your life in an emergency.

• On iPhone: Set up your Medical ID in the Health app so first responders can see critical health information. (👉🏾 Apple Support Guide)

• On Android: Enable “Get Help During an Emergency” so important info is available from your lock screen. (👉🏾 Google Support Guide)

• Medical Alert Bracelets: If you have severe allergies, seizures, diabetes, or other conditions, consider a silicone or metal ID bracelet.

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Sleep, Stress & Mental Health

College life can be overwhelming. Between late nights and heavy schedules, mental health support is essential.

• Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours per night and limit late-night screen time.

• Build Coping Routines: Journaling, meditation, and exercise can help reduce stress. Check out your school gym for workout class schedules.

• Find Campus Counseling Services: Most schools offer free or low-cost sessions.

• Explore Disability Services: If you self-identify or perhaps have a documented disability (physical or mental), you may qualify for accommodations like extended test time, note-taking support, or flexible attendance. 👉🏾Find out if your school has and office through the Campus Disability Resource (CeDaR) Database

  

  
  

  (📌 Source National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD))

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Eye Health & Screen Time

Long hours on laptops and phones can cause eye strain. Protect your vision with these tips:

• Get your annual eye exam: You want to make sure that your glasses and contacts prescriptions are up-to-date to reduce headaches, eye strain or injury.

• Follow the 20-20-20 Rule: Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

• Use Blue Light Filters or Glasses: Helps reduce digital eye strain.

• Contact Lens Safety: Always wash hands before use and never swap with friends, swim in or sleep in your lenses.

📌 Source: FDA Guide on Eye Health

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Headaches, Posture & Device Use

Studying and streaming for hours can take a toll.

• Maintain Good Posture: Keep screens at eye level and sit with back support.

• Stretch Hands & Wrists: Prevent tension with frequent breaks.

• Adjust Screen Brightness: Reduce glare to prevent headaches.

📌 Source: Mayo Clinic on Office ergonomics

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Campus & Dorm Safety Tips

Being safety-minded is part of wellness, too.

• Know Your RA: Your resident assistant is your first point of contact for dorm concerns.

• Situational Awareness: Identify multiple exits and entrances to your dorm, and note where safety lights are located. Trust your instincts and "if you see something, say something." Make sure to always lock your dorm or apartment doors.

• Have a safety plan: You can have trusted friends or family on your use Emergency SOS list (iPhone users) or emergency contacts (Android phone), know safe routes back to your dorm or apartment, and share with someone your plans and location. Keep in mind how much you share on your social media to protect yourself from unknown predators or stalking by even someone that you know.

• Campus Safety Contacts: Save the campus security or police number in your phone.

• Use Safety Escorts/Apps:  It's best to have a plan when you go out, travel in groups and avoid walking alone at night when possible. Many colleges offer late-night escort services or emergency alert apps and there's always FaceTime with walks and safety features on rideshare apps.

📌 Source: RAINN Safety Strategies for College Students and U.S. News & World Report Stay Safe on a College Campus

Resources for Support

• Student Health Centers (on-campus)

• Local urgent care & ERs

• Campus counseling & disability services

• Campus safety office & RA team

• Telehealth Waitlist → Join Here

  
  

Additional Resources

1. OASH | Office on Women's Health

2. CDC Women’s Health

3. Mayo Clinic Women’s Health