Warren Mayenga
Contributing Writer
The infamous “Freshman 15” has been haunting incoming students for decades. It is something that I did not know was a thing until I came to college. This myth has been passed down through generations of high school seniors to college students about how freshmen gain approximately 10 to 15 pounds throughout their first year in college. According to Journalist’s Resource, a new study suggests students gain about a pound – not 15 – during the first year of college.
Students around the age of 17 to 23 actually weigh in less than those who are not enrolled in college. These students weigh an average of 157.9 pounds compared to the 168.4 pounds of those who do not go to college, according to Journalist’s Resource. Studies have also said that students only gain about three to five pounds throughout their whole year. Another key takeaway from the study shows that having a college degree reduces the probability of becoming obese. So why is the “freshman 15” a big issue going on around colleges even though it is clearly false?
Roisin Coleman, a freshman computer science major, said “(The) Freshmen 15 is a thing because when you enter college, you are entering a place outside your comfort zone, a new way of life in which you have all the freedom. It is not like home anymore; you can choose to eat at whatever time you want. Some people, especially freshmen who are still not used to the college lifestyle, tend to overindulge that freedom of an open buffet.”
Despite years of research that prove the “Freshman 15” to be bogus from Journalist’s Resource, some freshmen, like Coleman, still think about it on their trips to the dining hall. Eventually, this great myth will simmer down and it will only be a thing of the past.
mayengw16@bonaventure.edu
