The "Freshman 15" is a trendy old time myth that spooks incoming college students about the possibility of gaining weight. The belief proposes that first-year college students are susceptible to gaining 15 pounds early in their college careers. The origins of the myth are media based, with the term "Freshman 15" first being coined in a 1989 Seventeen Magazine article. See here:
The term went viral without any real scientific evidence to back it up. It gained long-lasting and infectious cultural traction. Even today, first-year students frequently express their concern over whether or not they are doomed to fulfill the "Freshman 15" prophecy.
From the National Eating Disorders Association:
As a college student, many young men and women can experience feelings of increased pressure and stress. These feelings, compounded with the other stresses of being in a new environment, may trigger mental health problems in some young adults, like disordered eating. The Healthy Bodies Survey found that between the years of 2013-2015, 40% of students feared gaining the Freshman 15, 55% were concerned about their weight, 65% were concerned about their body shape and 61% reported limiting their food intake.
The college transition is a bulky process. For traditional students, dealing with a new perspective of independent living takes work. There's homesickness, balancing schedules, increased academic rigor, and a plethora of social anxieties. It's a hell of a lot of learning to understand one's own self-image. So, I promise that gaining weight is not a piece that can be deemed as one of the most grueling stressors.
In more recent studies, the average amount of weight a person gains in college is between 2.7 and 4.6 pounds. A two to five pounds weight fluctuation is normal, and can often be due to water retention, menstruation, or time of day. Weight varies greatly per individual and associated lifestyles. What is a healthy weight for one person will look different from what looks healthy for another. Bodies are complex.
The fear of gaining weight is deeply rooted in cultural ideals that idealize thinness and restriction. It's marketing genius and profitable to play into the insecurities of young adults who are holding near-perfect standards for themselves. Outside of the business world, it's damaging.
Dr. Lawrence Friedman of University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's explains weight gain as a natural part of the young adult's aging process:
"Teens are not fully grown at age 17 or 18. We would expect growth and weight gain during these years that have nothing to do with college."
Gaining weight in college doesn't happen to everyone, in fact, some people lose weight. But what I would like to propose is this:
Who cares?
Whatever weight changes occur within your first semester (or even over your years) in college, it's probably normal and healthy. A media instilled culture of fat phobia belittles the actual college-student experience.
As long as you're remaining compassionate to yourself and your well-being, you'll be fine. Pay more attention to taking risks, making connections, academic growth, and taking care of yourself.
