Shortly after starting college, there is one thing on every young woman’s mind--and it isn’t classes, or where to party on Friday night. It’s the Freshman 15.

Everyone knows what it is. Some will say it’s not real, but between the greasy food from the dining hall, late night fast food runs, and the high levels of junk food consumption who can really say that they didn’t gain any weight their first year?

The thing is, the Freshman 15 isn’t the problem. It’s the Freshman Negative 15 that we should be worrying about. Research shows that one in five women suffer or have suffered from some form of eating disorder. To put that into perspective, there are 1,100 women that attend my college. It is possible that over 200 of them have or had issues pertaining to an eating disorder. Continuing with that idea, a study showed that 25 percent of college women have tendencies that align with Bulimia Nervosa. Another study showed that Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among youth.

Personally, I have struggled with unhealthy eating habits and body image. I have transitioned from high school to college, I see how much more difficult it is to make healthy, self-loving decisions when it comes to eating and nutrition. I feel very passionate about trying to get out these bad cycles and move towards a healthier, happier version of myself.

Of course, it’s hard, but it is necessary. You need to take care of yourself or else you will not be able to perform the way that you need to in class, on the field, and at work.

“But I don’t have time to eat, I have class in 10 minutes!”

“But I’m actually not hungry at all.”

“But I ate a lot yesterday, so I’m just going to skip a meal today to let it balance out.”

These are all phrases that we have all heard someone say. These habits are not only unhealthy but potentially dangerous. Tell your friends, your family, and of course, yourself that these aren't excuses. Don't know how or why? Let me break it down for you.

Number one, you can make time to eat. Don’t get me wrong, it is easy to get stressed out and feel like you don’t have time to breathe, much less grab something to eat. The important thing is to realize that in the end, being two minutes late to class is nothing. You need to eat.

Number two, you’re hungry. You’re in college, that’s literally how this works. You’re in a constant state of confusion, hunger, and stress.

Number three, binge eating is just as bad as not eating, and no it is not a form of dieting. Balance your meals, eat properly. Take care of yourself, love your body, because it’s the only one you’ll ever have. Treat it well.

It has been proven that dieting is the most common gateway to an eating disorder, so if you feel that your body image is becoming increasingly negative, I encourage you to seek help. There is no shame in this. Anyone can have an eating disorder, or have unhealthy habits. It's not a stereotypical thing. Realize that.

No one is here to tell you these things and I feel like that is the failure of most colleges. I think that we should have an initiative on campuses that shows students how to be healthy in college, educate us on what is an eating disorder, how to kick those bad eating habits, and why it is important to remember that your body needs love, too. We are all here to get a degree, duh, but think for one second what good is that degree if you nearly kill yourself trying to get it? Staying healthy is key to being happy, and happiness is the key to success. Don’t let your unhealthy habits drag you down.