But now, we get ready to tackle one of the biggest college stereotypes and the ever present opponent of freshman females. THE FRESHMAN 15!!!!!!!!
Ahhhhhhhhhhh
Now before we go dive into how the issue comes about and how to stop it. Let us get one thing straight
GUYS ARE NOT IMMUNE TO THE FRESHMAN 15 EITHER. IF YOU EAT POORLY YOU WILL GAIN WEIGHT!!!!!!
Yeah, that is one of the small details that they don't tell you unless you actually go to college and have seen it happen to people who used to be skinnier than you.
But wait there is more....
THE FRESHMAN 15 CAN ACTUALLY MEAN YOU LOSE 15 POUNDS INSTEAD OF GAINING IT!!!!!
Now you are most likely thinking
Wait, what? You mean the Freshman 15 is not a social death warrant? If I play my cards right I can actually LOSE weight?
Yes.
So after hearing all of this, you must have some questions as to how the Freshman 15 works. Well, we at The Grog are happy to help.
Before we can tackle the big 15, we first must examine the biggest reasons that lead you to food and fat.
The Biggest reasons that the freshman 15 happens is because you are in a new environment that you are not yet comfortable with
You have been thrown into a social petri-dish where you do not know the crazies from your friends yet. Maybe you could be someone who comes from a rural area that is going to school in the big city. Or perhaps you are studying abroad in a culture so different from your own that you are terrified to try their healthier food options. So to comfort yourself, you turn to food to help make the transition easier. Eating food does help relieve stress, but it is our food choices that get us in trouble. (went for the healthier options here).
Which brings us to the second reason that people gain weight at college.
The food at your school could be terrible and you and your friends would be forced to eat elsewhere. Such as...
or
perhaps even
If your school's food does in fact taste like crap, then your first instinct will be to eat anywhere else but there. But going to healthier places eventually does get more expensive, and college will drain your finances to their lowest possible point. So the non healthy, bad for you food places like the stated fast food chains become the quickest and easiest choices. Just be cautious. Fast food places around your local college prey on incoming freshman such as yourselves, and before you know it your mailbox will be flooded with coupons and upcoming deals for the aforementioned fast foot places.
Another reason that you may want to eat a lot is simply because you do not want to do anything. Or as we at The Grog like to call it...
Being Lazy
The single hardest obstacle to overcome in terms of turning to food. Eating is easy enough and it gives your body something to do, but eating too much is the mating call of the bad kind of Freshman 15. Plus, when you have access to too much food in your room, it is highly unlikely that most of the food is good for you. Ramen noodles, hot pockets, and other microwaveable foods are easy to make and far less expensive than your school's overpriced cafeteria food.
So now that we have covered how the Freshman 15 sneaks up on you, it's time to figure out what you can do to stop bad food from turning that six pack (or just regular flat stomach) into a one pack, or even better, lose the Freshman 15 instead of putting it on.
Way to beat the Freshman 15 number 1: Ranger the F*&% Up and Hit the Gym
The gym is a very good way to combat the Freshman 15, but it does require the most consistent effort. Hitting the gym does have some advantages such as
- You usually sweat enough to lose some water weight
- Correct workouts turn your "meh" stomach into one glistening pack of sexy
- You can observe girls "personalities" as they run in front of you
- A good workout makes you feel accomplished
However, not everybody wants to go to the gym on a consistent basis. Going to the gym, while very effective takes time, dedication, and effort that you might not want to invest for fear of being stereotyped as the "D-Bag who goes to the Gym every day, four times a day"
But don't worry, there are other solutions.
Such as Way to beat the Freshman 15 number 2: Intermural Sports/ Pick Up Games
Getting together with your friends and acquaintances a couple times a week to play a sport you all enjoy is a good way to beat back the freshman 15. Intermural sports are all the fun of playing real sports, without the dedication of sitting through meetings, learning plays, or hitting the gym to stay in game shape. Plus, playing intermural sports is a good way to make friends outside of your immediate friend group. So when the stuff hits the fan in your inner circle, hit up some of your intermural buddies and avoid most of the drama. Plus, the workout of playing a sport will keep the Freshman 15 at bay.
Way to beat the Freshman 15 number 3: Actually eating healthy
The hardest of the solutions to the Freshman 15 because of how hard difficult it will be to find good fruits and veggies will be at your school. Even if you can find fruits and veggies at your school, they are most likely a lower quality than supermarket food, so eating them can be tough. And you aren't going shopping for fresh fruits and veggies because you will want to save your money for "school supplies." This strategy is not for the weak willed individuals, but if you have the dedication and resources available to you, use them and you could drop 15 pounds instead of gaining 15.
One quick side note to all of the incoming freshman ladies out there before I leave: Eating Healthy does NOT mean not eating at all. There is a difference between being in shape and us being able to see your rib cage through your shirt, and the latter is NOT ATTRACTIVE.
So that will do it for part 5 of the Quintessential Guide: Topics we still need to get around to include
- Party Life (If you all want my perspective it will not be available until I am 21 due to the wishes of our editor. Hopefully, someone else will tackle that before November 2nd)
- Dealing with tough scenarios and how to handle the aftermath
- Long Distance Relationships when you both go to different colleges
- Sleeping Habits
- And how much to tell your parents about your first semester at Thanksgiving
Thank you all for reading and till next time...
