For the typical USF resident student, the diet consists of The Hub chicken nuggets and Bay Coffee & Tea Company bagels. 

During the time that I lived on campus, I noticed the number on the scale slowly increasing week by week.

But it didn’t take much for me to understand the changes in my weight. 

When the dining halls no longer satisfied me, I’d go to the on-campus Chick-Fil-A for a chicken sandwich, then to Starbucks for a sugary frappuccino to wash it down. Then, an hour later I’ll find myself hungry again and go to Panda Express for some crab rangoons.

With all my stress eating, I found myself asking: did I break the bank or the scale?

Many students experience the “freshman 15,” so much so that it has become a known phenomenon. This term is coined by college students in their first year who experience weight gain due to lifestyle changes. 

I’m here to tell newcomers, when it happens to you, there is nothing to fear.

As someone who has struggled with weight all my life, entering college after my weight loss journey was scary. I had worked so hard, dieting and exercising everyday and lost 50 pounds before the start of my college career. 

I knew the “freshman 15″ was inevitable, but I wish I had known that it wasn’t the end of the world.

After my first fall semester here, I had fallen victim to the “freshman 15.” Then that 15 turned into 20 pounds, and eventually I realized that I had gained a whopping freshman 30.

At first I was disappointed in myself, but I was able to come to terms with my weight gain when I realized that it doesn’t define my success in college.

Weight should be one of the last things burdening the minds of students.

On top of homework, attending classes, meeting friends and staying involved in campus, who has time to worry about a number on a digital scale?

Eventually, I stopped caring what others thought of my appearance. I figured the first thing people will notice about me is how I treat them, not how big or small I am.

During adolescence and late teens, our bodies are constantly growing. When students start college, they are entering a new era: a period of change. We should be kind to ourselves and give ourselves space to grow.

Of course, your body will not always look like it did when you were 16.

You only get one chance to be a freshman, don’t spend the whole year concerned over whether your favorite jeans now fit too tight.

Many people who are worried about gaining the “freshman 15” are worried that with the weight gain comes the assumption that one’s lifestyle or personal choices are irresponsible.

But it’s important to note that weight does not signify the overall health or wellbeing of a person, despite what the doctor tells you when they are examining your body mass index percentile.

Chances are, no one is thinking about or even noticing any weight that you put on. 

Your body is allowed to take up space. Don’t let the “freshman 15″ weigh on your mind.