Why the Freshmen Fifteen is a Myth

The infamous freshmen fifteen… we’ve all heard the horror stories about how it’s inevitable and sneaks up on you and bla bla bla. Whether you have ever had to worry about your weight or not, the thought of carrying around an extra fifteen pounds has probably squeezed it’s way into your freshmen-year worries at least once. Even if it’s not about the looks, new clothes to fit your new physique don’t quite fit into your ramen noodles budget.

But before you go hunting for some sales on stretchy pants and sweatshirts, let me ease your mind a little bit by explaining why the freshmen fifteen is a myth.

First of all, there is no scientific proof of the “freshmen fifteen”. It’s just a made up term that stuck. Actually, studies show that if weight is gained at all, it only ends up to be around five pounds. College may not even be to blame for this weight gain. Researchers have found that college students are only an average of a half pound heavier than their peers not in college. Although some students do gain weight, A recent Ohio State University study shows that a quarter of the participants actually lost weight in their first year.

Even though the average weight gain among first year students is no where near fifteen pounds, it’s not to say that it is impossible. After many nights of living like the stereotypical college student, (living off of ramen, pulling all-nighters, partying) the freshmen fifteen could become more of a reality for you. It’s important to find a balance of enjoying yourself but still maintaining your physical health — and trust me, its hard. I’m literally typing this as I kill a bag of veggie straws. But we have four years to find this balance, so let’s give it our best shot!