Health scan lifestyle Q&A

John Logue, president, Union of Students in Ireland

Do you think you have a healthy lifestyle?

I certainly try to but the nature of the job isn’t conducive to it. You could be at a protest, chaining yourself to a gate at the Department of Education one day and in Cork for an urgent meeting the next so you end up eating on the road and grabbing what you can.

How often do you exercise?

I was massive into team sports but when I went to college it kind of died off. Anytime I can, I try to get in a five-a-side game. I bought one of those 20kg kettle bells last year and, when I get 10mins, I’ll do a quick exercise session with that.

Do you get your five a day?

Vegetables yes, fruit not so much. There are times you miss meals but you just don’t think about it because you are run off your feet. It might only be once every three weeks that I’d get a chance to do a grocery shop.

Do you worry?

In any other organisation with 250,000 members, the chief executive would have 20 years’ experience. I just graduated yesterday so you really are flung in at the deep end. You always worry that you are making the right decisions. Because the fees issue is being very hotly debated, you know any move or failure to move will drastically affect Irish families. There’s not a lot of sleep in this job but it’s the most humbling thing to sit down with that one person and see them progress without a financial hindrance or mental health issue.

What do you do to relax?

To zone out, I’d pick up a guitar or play the piano. At the moment if something is stressing me, there’s a Bobby McFerrin track on Youtube that makes me smile. Or I’ll go into Hodges Figgis for two hours and wander around or, as they might say, loiter.

What’s your unhealthiest habit?

Gorging on chocolate. If I could curtail that, I’d be an athlete.

In conversation with JOANNE HUNT