Summer brings plenty of opportunities to get outdoors, get some vitamin D and get active. Share these health tips with your student about outdoor exposure, biking and other summer activities so they can enjoy every minute of the months ahead!
Outdoor exposure
300 days of sunshine combined with high altitudes make Colorado a pretty special place to be. Help your student minimize the risks while still enjoying our great outdoors with these guidelines:
- Apply sunscreen of at least SPF 30 half an hour before heading outside. Reapply often to avoid sunburns.
- Wear protective clothing like sunglasses, hats and long-sleeved shirts.
- Know the signs of dehydration, and always have water on hand. If your student is taking a pet out on the trails, remind them to bring enough water for everyone!
- Invest in mosquito and other bug repellants for hiking, biking, camping or spending time in wooded areas.
- If they'll be exercising outdoors, recommend doing so in the early mornings and evenings when temperatures are lower and the sun isn't directly above.
Biking
With plenty of designated lanes and trails, Boulder is the perfect place to log some miles on a bicycle. Whether that means commuting to work, heading to the farmer’s market or going up to the mountains, remind your student about safety:
- It probably won’t be the first time you’ve told them, but helmets greatly reduce the risk of brain injury.
- If they'll be riding at night, suggest they invest in reflectors (and some reflective clothing).
- Be sure they know the laws and follow them: ride with the flow of traffic, stay in your lane, never ride with headphones in and use hand signals.
- Bicycling is subject to the same DUI laws as driving in Colorado. Have a conversation about alternative transportation if alcohol or other drugs are ever involved.
Camping
Rocky Mountain National Park is right in our backyard, and there's no better way to explore it than with a classic Colorado camping trip. Whether staying local or heading out of town, here’s what we recommend:
- Encourage your student to speak with their primary care provider about any vaccinations depending on where they'll be camping.
- Help them check the rules and regulations of Rocky Mountain National Park before heading out.
- To avoid food poisoning, suggest they pack in tight, waterproof containers, keep their cooler insulated, sanitize their hands often, separate raw foods from cooked foods, and cook meats to the appropriate temperature (bring along a meat thermometer to be sure).
- Remind them about drinking water safety and to bring along bottled water.
- Go over basic health skills, like how to identify poison ivy, what to do if you see a wild animal, how to disinfect a cut and hands-only CPR. Help stock a first-aid kit before they leave.
- Know who they’ll be with and where they’ll be, in case of an emergency.
- Let them know that the Outdoor Program through the Rec Center rents out all kinds of gear to CU Boulder students, so even if they’re not ready to invest in all the proper gear, there are ways to be fully prepared!