Avoiding the First Year 15
I’m proud to admit that I have lost my first year 15. Much of the hearsay about college has made it seem almost inevitable that the bill for attending higher education will be paid both out of mom and dads pockets, and also by the student in the form of baggy eyes and a little extra chub around the edges. In my first year of college, I gained over 30 pounds. In my second year of college, I made it a goal to earn back the pep in my step so I can continue to compete at the varsity level. Now in my Junior year, not only have I lost the extra weight I gained in my first year, but I’m now in better shape than I’ve ever been in my life. In college, living healthy is double the work, because living alone is a first for many undergrads. Balancing living healthy and enjoying the freedom of college can be a struggle for any new college student!
With great freedom power comes great responsibility, and the dining hall is no exception. Eating cafeteria food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner puts an overwhelming amount of responsibility on the student. There are tons of different options that you can choose from to define your diet in any campus dining hall.
At Juniata, it’s possible to eat healthy if you take the time to discover food that works for you, while keeping some guidelines from Harvard University’s Healthy Eating Plate (Harvard University) in mind. They recommend half your plate be fruit or vegetables, an easy option in Juniata’s Baker Dining Hall . Last year, I fell in love with stir fried veggies at the vegan food space. And, they recommend having whole grains on your plate, so this year I started mixing my stir fries with quinoa and couscous, both of which are now offered at the salad bar. Keeping a commitment to eating healthy 24/7 just isn’t easy, and I’d be surprised to find a Juniatian who hasn’t been tempted by the array of deserts staring back at them by the entrance to the dining hall. Despite the one or two ensuing cheat days, it’s not only possible, but can be fun to eat healthy at Juniata’s dining hall!
Healthy eating isn’t the only strategy we can use to stay healthy in college. I know that exercise is essential as well. I get lots of exercise as a member of the Men’s Volleyball team, but anyone, even the non-athletic regular person, can find easy and fun ways to stay active on campus! Whether you like to hike, or prefer to spend time playing intramurals like volleyball or basketball with friends, there will always be ways for you to break a sweat at JC. One very popular way to get some fun exercise during the week is through participating in club sports. A few club goldmines which stand out to me include ultimate frisbee, yoga, or my favorite, breakdancing, but there’s so many more open to students! Exercising with friends is time well spent because it provides an opportunity to stay in shape, and meet new friends at the same time.
The key to staying healthy while balancing classes, exercise, and sleep is routine! Not everything is attainable in one day, but if you map out your class work each week, while also committing to attend just a few athletic clubs or even a pickup game with friends, you’ll still have all weekend to socialize with friends or find extra time to follow your interests where you feel fit. As class picks up at Juniata, continuing to make healthy decisions is an invaluable decision. Finding a balance of enjoying all the new freedoms of college with a happy and healthy lifestyle isn’t easy, but the resources available at Juniata helps make it so much easier! Eating right, exercising with friends, and of course getting enough rest at night will help with making that first year 15 a thing of legend for students here at Juniata.
