According to Urban Dictionary, the "Freshman 15" is the widely held belief that incoming university students tend to gain a bit of weight during their first year, usually due to environmental and lifestyle changes. Jam-packed class schedules leading to unhealthy eating habits and a lack of exercise may be to blame.
I'll admit, as a commuter student during my first year, I spent a majority of my time at school balancing extracurricular activities and study hours in the library. On top of that, my 40-minute subway commute did not make it easier on my already shortened sleeping schedule. I was exhausted from five hours of sleep.
My mental health and body image were deteriorating. I went from a size four to a size 10 in my jeans. I could barely fit into my high school prom dress when I wore it for a sorority formal. An old boyfriend commented on my weight, saying that he could no longer be attracted to a "bigger girl" and comparing my current weight to my former weight.
I was miserable. I did not think I was beautiful.
I went to the extremes of purchasing a supposed "weight loss" tea being advertised on social media and a bottle of Hydroxycut, a weight loss supplement, to lose the extra 15 pounds on my 5'7" frame. Sadly, I suffered a health scare after overdosing on caffeine — and thankfully recovered within a few days.
Surprisingly, after doing careful research, I came to find out that the supposed "Freshman 15" was a myth. According to a 2016 article from Demography magazine, students, on average, gain a pound during their freshman year and tend to gain less weight than those who do not attend college.
"I find that college freshmen gain substantially less than the 15 pounds rumored to be typical for freshmen. Using difference models, individual-specific fixed-effects models and instrumental variables models to control for various sources of potential bias, I find that freshman year college attendance is estimated to cause only about a one-pound increase. Supplemental results show that those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds gain more weight during the freshman college year. Longer term, having a college education consistently decreases weight."
-Charles L. Baum II, The Effects of College on Weight: Examining the "Freshman 15" Myth and Other Effects of College Over the Life Cycle
What contributed to my 15-pound weight gain? Unhealthy choices, negative body image and low self-esteem.
I could say my slew of self-esteem issues led to my eventual body image disorder. I developed an eating disorder in the seventh grade, which followed a series of health problems including anemia. Like myself, many young girls grew up in a world where oversexualized campaigns and eating disorders were the norms.
I was never told to be proud of the way I looked. I did not grow up hearing of the terms 'self-love' and 'body positivity'.
I am proud to see such terms being coined in social media campaigns, and I am proud to see major clothing brands, such as Aerie, address this growing movement with campaigns like #AERIEReal.
Women are changing the way society perceives beauty. Beauty is fluid. There is no real definition or standard.
To those incoming freshman in my position, forget the "Freshman 15." I wish I had told myself I didn't need to look a certain way before. No one is worth your binging and subsequently purging. Self-love is key.
Surround yourself with positive people and reach out if you need help.
