Rant of the Week - Frosh 15 needs to be less of a concern

By Katie Cosgrove

We've all had to deal with the freshman 15 - it's unavoidable. We were all warned before leaving for our first day about the dreaded weight gain. We've all gradually seen it happen to those around us. Most of us have even had to deal with it personally. Let's face it: the fear has been engrained in us from day one. So what happens when this fear takes over reason? I have seen at least a dozen girls become so encompassed by the fear of the freshman 15 that they have become obsessed with their body weight. I've seen girls work out twice, even three times a day, stress over an extra crouton on their salad, and even count the calories in a Coke. They have succumbed to the pressure put on by their peers and now live in constant fear.

The freshman 15 is not a myth. It happened to my mother, and it's happening to me. It seems that no matter how hard I try to eat healthy, the pounds keep adding up. When my dinner has become a permanent late-night routine, the only available option to squelch the hunger is California Fresh. We all know how good that is for you. I feel guilty at the time, but that just means that I'll work out the next day. I'm not going to go to bed hungry simply because I'm afraid of a few pounds. Unfortunately this idea has become misconstrued among many.

Let's take my friend "Sarah" for example. She has never been overweight in her life, save five or so pounds. Sarah has never worried about her weight enough to watch it. A few months before she left for her freshmen year, her grandma told her that she would gain weight in college. She explained that it was the freshman 15 and that just happens.

Sarah got scared. She's never had to deal with her weight before and doesn't know how to handle it. Throughout the next few months Sarah hears horror stories from other kids, and gets even more warnings from those close to her. By the time she finally starts school she is determined to prove everyone wrong. Her mentality is that she will be the only one not to gain weight. She revels in the thought of being the only thin girl on campus.

The first week or two was easy. Sarah found time to work out almost every day. The salads weren't that bad, and the bagels sufficed for lunch. The third or fourth week things started getting a little bit more difficult. The grilled cheese was looking awfully good after a long day of studying. Soon grabbing the grease became almost second nature. Sarah slowly began to notice that her pants are a bit snugger than they used to be, and that washing them only makes it worse. She realized that she was doing exactly what everyone said she would. The next day she somehow found time in between laundry, studying for Calculus and that huge English paper to spend an hour in the gym. She skips her late-night dinner because she doesn't have the time. Sarah ate less and less. It's easy to find ways of rationalizing not eating and working out at absurd hours. Sarah has given into her fear.

This fear of the freshman 15 has trapped dozens of freshmen. It is ridiculous and should be stopped. I don't want to see any more Sarahs end up in the hospital because they fainted from malnutrition. Somewhere in between the continuous late-night snacking and the skipping of meals there is a balance. Forget the fear and live your life for yourself.

Katie Cosgrove is a freshman communication major.