I have learned quite a lot in college thus far, such as the amount of time in which I can procrastinate and still have enough time to finish an assignment, 3 A.M. study sessions actually do happen, and some chemistry, too. What I didn't realize I'd be learning was how very real the freshman 15 is.

I had been doing well with the freshman 15 last term; I only gained about five pounds, give or take. Which was still pretty odd for me, since I was hell bent on thinking I didn't gain weight (my fluctuation in the past year or two before college was maybe a pound or so). However, what I didn't think about when believing that notion was my participation in athletics. I was a three-season athlete in high school, up until my school cut our golf program before my senior year. Yes, golf is a sport; it requires quite a lot of uphill trekking with a golf bag on your back. Anyway, the point is, I was in shape all four of my years at O'Neill High School. Then I began college without playing a sport (or doing any physical activity for that matter) and still expected to stay the same weight.

Now, I didn't realize I was gaining weight until I went home for midterm break last October. I decided to weigh myself to humor my mom, but what I saw on the scale was not something I had ever seen before. I had become the heaviest I've been in my whole life. So, being an athlete at heart, I was ashamed that I allowed myself to become that out of shape. Hell, I was out of breath climbing the stairs to my first class every other morning. For the record, my class was on the third floor, so I climbed three flights of stairs to get there.

I definitely wish I had taken the freshman 15 warning seriously. So, for those of you not yet attending college, or even my fellow freshies, here are some tips to fight off the freshman 15. You're going to need it.

1. The gym is your friend.

Don't take lessons from Homer. Go to the gym and run at least three times a week, if possible. It may seem daunting to go by yourself, so find a gym buddy to keep you company! They will support you and when they ask, "Do you want to go workout?" "No" will never be an acceptable answer. You might even learn some good ab workouts from them to carry on with you throughout your life.

2. Don't be lazy.

Lounging around on your bed, eating junk food and watching Netflix gets you nowhere. It does get you caught up on your shows, but you gain a majority of the freshman 15 by doing so. My roommate and I are known for being lazy, so for the new year, I'm trying to get out of this slump. Stay active, and soon you'll be buying new clothes because you'll be getting smaller. And who doesn't love new clothes?

3. Eat healthy. (Or as healthy as possible)

At Elmira, we don't have the healthiest of selections for food, but you have to make do with what you have. Pasta is a wondrous thing; it isn't the healthiest thing in the world, but it beats eating greasy pizza or fried chicken. It gets old sometimes, so mix it up with something yummy once in a while. It doesn't hurt to have pizza every so often.

I was very attracted to our fancy soda machine earlier in the year. It's the one that has all different flavors of each soda brand. I think I went a whole week only drinking that soda for dinner to see how many flavors I could try. Don't fall into the trap. It tastes good, but it won't look so good when it settles as fat on your thighs and stomach.

4. Make a schedule.

Planning around your classes and other activities can be hard, but a schedule makes your life so much easier. It teaches you time management skills, and keeps you on track. When planning, it's better to plan too much time for an activity than too little time. Then, if you don't use up all that time, you can have a little ~siesta~ for a little bit. Make the times reasonable though; you don't need to plan to spend three hours in the gym.

5. Stay determined.

Live by the quote above. The first few days of beginning to work out are the hardest, since you're so sore. However, the soreness goes away after the first week and you start to feel great. In contrast to the gross feeling of being sweaty, you do feel awesome after having worked out. The accomplishment you just made definitely outweighs the smelly, sweaty part.

6. Set a goal.

The goal doesn't have to be "lose x amount of pounds by this date" or anything like that. It can range anywhere from running a mile in less than 10 minutes or running three miles per day. Beware of goals where you try and lose weight by a certain time. It's unhealthy to lose too much weight at one time, so definitely consult a doctor before going crazy and losing 10 pounds in one week. Don't set an unrealistic goal either; this could result in you giving up because you didn't reach it. Start small, and as you become more fit, adjust accordingly.

7. Try out for a sports team.

If you are on the team, you could have as much fun as the two guys above. You make so many friends, mostly because your schedules are almost the same. You're with each other for 6 A.M. practices and double sessions. The bond between teammates is one of the strongest out there. If you're an athlete like me, you'll miss your sport so bad that you wish you tried out. So give it a go. Even if you don't make it, you might learn some fitness tips on how to stay in shape. If your college has JV athletics, where you don't have to try out, those would be a great alternative. I was on the JV basketball team this year and it was a wonderful experience. It is much less commitment than a varsity sport as well, since we only practiced a couple of times per week. This helps if you have an intensive major (such as biochemistry, like myself) that won't really allow you time to play a varsity sport.

8. Find a gym in your hometown.

Breaks can literally break your determination. Especially Christmas/Winter Break, when you're away from school and the gym for almost (or more than) a month. This is the worst time of year, since there's always so much food at Christmas and it's too cold to run outside. Unless of course it was this year when it was 60 degrees on Christmas in NY state. Normally, it's not like that, so you have a hard time finding somewhere to help you stay in shape. Sure, you could invest in a treadmill, but you may not have the space or money. A gym membership isn't as expensive as a treadmill, so if there's a gym near you, ask for one for Christmas. How perfect is that? It's as if the universe is begging you to work out.

9. If you don't have a gym close, find exercises that don't require equipment.

There are a lot of exercises out there that don't require equipment. You can do push-ups, crunches, etc. all in the comfort of your own home! There are tons of apps for that.

So, for when you are in college, use these tips to knock the freshman 15 out. You can do it!