The Freshman 15

When a student heads off to college for their first year of school, they are making a drastic change in their lives.  New friends, new classes, no parents telling you what to do; it’s a completely new situation.  Along with your freshman year comes new eating and exercising habits as well.  The unlimited food at the dining halls is an invitation to eat as much as you want and no one can turn down the tempting frozen yogurt machines positioned conveniently around IV and the Stetsons. 

It is a societal norm that during your freshman year you are likely to gain some weight, whether it is fifteen pounds or forty.  This idea makes it more acceptable to return home for Thanksgiving with a few extra pounds and pants that don’t fit quite right.  Some college freshmen justify their weight gain as okay because it’s happening to “everyone”.  They don’t feel the need to keep up an exercise regimen or eat healthy because it’s almost expected that they’re going to pick up some unhealthy habits.  While this notion does not always apply to everyone, it could be part of the reason why students gain a bit of weight in their freshman year.

Another reason the freshman 15 is so prevalent is because of the social aspect of college.  More often than not, if your friend/roommate is going to the dining hall then you will join them, even if you’re not that hungry.  Getting something to eat with another person is a way that you can talk or catch up with them.  This being the case, you might eat unhealthier or more than you intended as a result of meeting up with someone.

The habits of those around you affect your habits as well, either for better or for worse.  I know I’ve come home from class with the intention of cooking a nutritious meal, but when you see your roommate eating their leftovers from Cheesecake Factory; it’s hard to get yourself to eat a salad and fruit.  On the other hand, healthy habits can be contagious as well.  If all of my roommates are heading to the gym or going for a run then I will probably join them.  When thinking about exercising you can make up a million excuses for why you don’t want to do it, but if there is someone else making those healthy decisions, it will likely motivate you to do so as well.

The freshman 15 is a slippery slope which can lead to unhealthy choices in the future, so my recommendation would be to not let yourself make those poor decisions and also stay away from the frozen yogurt machine.