Given the difficult social and economic situation in Russia, the lives and health of young people are getting increasingly worse, as can be seen from the data of state statistics. In this article, the author investigates the self-preservation aspect of the health of college students. The health of any social-demographic group has two characteristics: (1) it is usually determined statistically and characterized by a complex of social and demographic indicators; and (2) while it is objectively conditioned by social and biological factors, it is also affected by the individual's subjective attitude. Thus, the author examines objective aspects (the occurrence of chronic and other diseases, how students spend leisure time) as well as subjective factors (the frequency of visits to medical facilities, the prevalence of harmful habits), and the respondents' attitudes toward their own well-being. Results indicate that the majority of the respondents believe that the main factors determining their state of health are external, objective factors such as the conditions of life and heredity. In the author's opinion, the students do not adequately appreciate the destructive role played by subjective factors such as smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol to excess, and abusing narcotics. It is apparent that state policies designed to instill in young people an active life stance in preserving and strengthening their health will be essential. (Contains 8 notes.)