Raien acknowledges shift in health perspective following screening

Initially, I thought that being young and having no symptoms meant I was perfectly healthy,” said Raien Simbala (20), a student at a university in North Sulawesi, in Minahasa on Saturday. “But after undergoing a health screening, I became more aware of the importance of maintaining health from now on.”

According to her, health checks provided a clear picture of her body’s condition, which she had previously overlooked. Following the screening, she began to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle to stay productive during her studies.

“After the screening, I started improving my diet, exercising more regularly, and trying to manage my sleep schedule to avoid staying up late,” she added.

Common health screenings recommended for students include blood pressure checks, blood sugar tests, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol levels, and mental health assessments.

These checks are generally easy to conduct at primary healthcare facilities, do not take long, and are relatively affordable, making them accessible to various groups.

By regularly monitoring their health, students can quickly adjust their lifestyle before serious health issues arise.

“Building the habit of health screenings from a young age is a long-term investment for the future,” she said.

“A healthy body helps students perform optimally in academic activities, improve concentration, and support daily productivity.”

“Therefore, students need to start caring for their health and not wait until they fall ill before undergoing regular health checks.”

“Especially as academic commitments, organisational activities, and social life often cause students to neglect their health.”

“Health checks are important because conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and mental health issues can develop gradually without notice.”

“Students, as a productive age group, often feel healthy and rarely experience serious health complaints.”

“This leads many to consider health checks unimportant. However, lifestyle habits during university can increase the risk of health issues.”

“Busy schedules, irregular eating, lack of sleep, stress from assignments and exams, and minimal physical activity are factors affecting both physical and mental health.”

“When undergoing screening, one can detect health conditions early, allowing for prompt and appropriate treatment,” Raien said.