The Freshman WHA????

This semester, a young woman (20 years old) in one of my courses brought up this phenomenon that has been given then title of, “Freshman 15.” This female student thought it could be a good community service project for us to enter the dorms and educate the female population of the dangers of this “Freshman 15.” This female student felt that we should educate girls about healthy eating habits and exercise because of this “widespread issue.” I honestly had no idea what she was talking about so I asked her for some clarification. Apparently, the “Freshman 15” is the term used to describe the weight (supposedly 15lbs, on average) that freshman girls gain their first year in college, away from home. My initial feelings were irritation at the fact that this young female (and another classmate) truly found this subject to be of great importance to many young women! The more I have thought about the experience I had in class that day, the more I find it to be both horrific and infuriating.

First of all, if at least two female students feel that the “Freshman 15” (from now on I will refer to it as the “F#”) is such a “widespread problem,” I wonder how many other students are concerned about it. Unfortunate as it may be, there may be many other students (male or female) who are indeed expending energy on counting calories rather than on their studies. If so, we shouldn’t be focusing on assisting them in their calorie counting, but working with them to improve their self-esteem and body image! Secondly, it angers me that these two female students are encouraging this poor self-image and high self-consciousness in their fellow gender! These two young women are just as much to blame as is the media for girls’ low self-esteem, eating disorders, and poor self-image. Lastly, these students must not form conclusions or possible “solutions” to the “F#” until they have completed efficient research!

There are plenty of other variables to consider before one is to assume that a young woman who gains 15lbs is unhealthy or overweight. For example, it could be very possible that around the age of 19 (which is also coincidentally during a typical freshman year) a young girl begins to biologically mature at a faster rate than during puberty, so her body purposefully slows down its metabolism, preparing for some kind of womanly bodily change! It could be very possible that around the time a student may be a freshman in college, or moving out on her own, she naturally gains about 15lbs over a course of a year or so and it may just be a fact of life, a fact of being a woman (as apposed to being a girl.)

These possibilities and variables seemed not to enter the minds of students concerned over this named “F#.” Apparently, some females would rather pull down one another’s confidence and self-esteem – making them to feel they must “watch out” or they may bloat to unimaginable sizes!! Heaven forbid a size 9, 12, or 13 walking around campus! She must need our help! Oh, and the size 5 over there, she’s looking like she could use a jog, a rice cake, and what the hell, let’s toss in a free scale and fat-pincher while we’re at it. If we don’t do something now she’ll be a size 7 before you know it! “Helping fat-ass females return to thinness one fat ass at time. No need to call me a hero – just know I’ll be sleeping soundly tonight with the sweet, faint sound of vomiting in my ears.”