The Residence Survival Guide Part Two: The Freshman Fifteen

"The Residence Survival Guide Part Two: The Freshman Fifteen", August 2008.

Although you may think that alligators live in the NYC sewer, or drinking pop and eating pop rocks afterwards will cause your stomach to explode, these myths have been busted as not being true. Now, what about the urban myth of the Freshman Fifteen? To test this out, the myth will not be planned an executed in a manner to produce visually dramatic results. There will be no explosions, fires, and/or vehicle crashes. Sadly I can’t use Buster or ballistics gel to help me out with this, either. However I will replicate the myth, and duplicate the results to the best of my ability.

Move into residence. Participate in Welcome Week activities. Increase alcohol intake as well as the consumption of fat-laden, cafeteria style foods (i.e. Sizzles, in Commons). Additionally, raise the amount of fast-food eaten (2AM meat-lovers Pizza Pizza deliveries). Decrease the amount of sleep, and increase the amount of over-eating. The result, even after a few weeks: weight gain. Myth status: confirmed.

Very few of the people I knew in res did not gain at least a few pounds by the end of the year (A. Boim and C. Gardner you are the only exceptions I know). Myself, I gained 26 pounds in my first year. However, I was seriously underweight when I started, so I ended up being of normal proportions when I finished that April. I guess then I don’t really count either?

So, what can you do to avoid gaining weight? There are a few options. Eat a well-balanced diet (i.e. avoid Sizzles). Get enough sleep. Avoid snacking on calorie-rich junk food (chips, candy, muffins, pop, etc). If you have questions about nutrition, go visit the Health and Wellness Centre in the basement of MUSC. You will find ample information there about eating well, nutrition, and other topics related to your health in general.

Lastly, the best solution is to get some exercise! The David Braley Athletic Centre opened at the beginning of 2007, and is one of the largest fitness centers at a Canadian University. You can find out more about the David Braley Athletic Centre, and all of the available services here: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/facili...aley/index.htm. An eight month membership is only $94, which works out to less than $12 a month. That is DIRT CHEAP in comparison to most gyms.

If you are conscious about your actions, you can avoid the Freshman Fifteen!