The Student News Site of Colorado State University

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Student News Site of Colorado State University

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Student News Site of Colorado State University

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Print Edition
Letter to the editor submissions
Have a strong opinion about something happening on campus or in Fort Collins? Want to respond to an article written on The Collegian? Write a Letter to the Editor by following the guidelines here.
Follow Us on Twitter
Unlocking the Digital Treasure: A Dive into Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Unlocking the Digital Treasure: A Dive into Cryptocurrency Exchanges
March 7, 2024

Ever wondered, amid all this digital currency buzz, what is the value of Ethereum today? It's a question that sparks the curiosity of many,...

The freshman negative 15 is a real thing at CSU

Food is essential for survival, and there is a plethora of options at the CSU dining halls. The food is available, so why not eat as much as you possibly can before you get sick? Those who believe in the idea of the “Freshman 15” may find this surprising, but there are students that have limited themselves to a certain amount of meals and are losing or maintaining their weight due to diets, nutrition plans or severe laziness that prohibits them to get up and go eat. This phenomenon is taking shape as the “Freshmen Negative 15.”

An important part of the college experience as a first year or freshman student is eating at the dining halls on campus. Freshman sign up for a specific meal plan and can take advantage of the food provided by the University, or they can choose not to use all of their meal swipes.

Ad

“I am on the 14 meal plan per week, and I usually have like two meals leftover,” said Chance Wright, a first year student studying business.

Wright does not use all of his meal swipes because he is working on maintaining his current physical appearance and does not want any uneasy calories in his new diet. But, Wright did say his favorite thing in the dining hall is the unlimited chocolate milk.

“I am on the 21 meal plan, and I use all of my meal swipes, sometimes going to the express. I try to eat as much as I can,” said Matt Green, a first year student also studying business.

Green enjoys eating the Mexican food and the items from the Mongolian Grill. He likes to enjoy the vegan options that are provided in the dining halls, and the only time he did not use all of his meal swipes was when his mother came to visit and she took him out to dinner.

Although he uses all of his meal swipes, Green said, “I have maintained my weight since I started college.”

Has the Freshmen Fifteen become a myth, or do we just happen to attend one of the healthiest colleges with the most outdoor activity and exercise options in the country?

Cameron Wolf, a first year student studying construction management, said he enjoys consuming the Szechuan wings and the mini corn dogs that the dining halls provide for the students. Wolf looks forward to eating these foods after he finishes a long, hard day of being an adult with actual responsibilities. Wolf is on the 21 meals a week plan.

“I usually have a couple swipes left at the end of each week,” Wolf said. “I feel like I have lost weight. My pants are getting looser from all the walking around between classes.”

The myth that college freshmen gain fifteen pounds when they first come to college seems like it does not apply at CSU. The majority of students are constantly walking, biking, playing sports, lifting weights, running, swimming, hiking and stressing out, so all of the fats and calories that are consumed that day are quickly burned off because of the rigorous activities that go along with being perfect students attending a healthy and happy school.

Ad

View Comments (1)
More to Discover

Comments (1)

When commenting on The Collegian’s website, please be respectful of others and their viewpoints. The Collegian reviews all comments and reserves the right to reject comments from the website. Comments including any of the following will not be accepted. 1. No language attacking a protected group, including slurs or other profane language directed at a person’s race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, physical or mental disability, ethnicity or nationality. 2. No factually inaccurate information, including misleading statements or incorrect data. 3. No abusive language or harassment of Collegian writers, editors or other commenters. 4. No threatening language that includes but is not limited to language inciting violence against an individual or group of people. 5. No links.
All The Rocky Mountain Collegian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • S

    Steven BOct 20, 2016 at 1:22 pm

    When I wasn’t in class, studying, working (wait, I was a CSO officer, constantly walking around in the eveinings) I was at the rec center, hiking up at Horsetooth, or biking on the many trails. I lost weight

    Reply