Since college is considered a part of growing up, university cultures around the world can vary when it comes to students' lifestyles. For instance, in Korea where students focus most of their time on the university entrance exam in high school, it's commonly said that students will start exercising, lose weight, and care more about their appearance once they go to college.
In the U.S., the popular phrase "freshman fifteen" tells you a lot about student life and university culture. Freshman fifteen is an American slang phrase meaning "the fifteen pounds you gain during your freshman year (first year) of college".
Why "Freshman Fifteen"?
American students are often exposed to alcohol for the first time in college, since the age of legality, 21, is higher than many other countries. They are also given total freedom over their lifestyle, compared to their pre-college lives which were more restricted by the institution of high school and living at home with family. This often leads to drastic change in life patterns, such as staying up to party, not eating regular healthy meals, or hanging out with friends late and night and sharing fast food. These trends are what make the freshman fifteen such a common experience.
Staying Healthy in College
Having fun is an important part of studying abroad, and the “freshman fifteen” shouldn’t necessarily scare you away from having new experiences. But eventually, it is important to find a good balance for your own health. It's possible to both have fun and take care of yourself!
College is a great place to start building a lifestyle that works for you. Being a college student, you're situated halfway between adolescence and adulthood—it's the perfect time to start figuring out how to live independently. Some easy steps you can take towards a healthy lifestyle in college include understanding where to find nutritional information at the cafeteria, setting regular meal times in your schedule, and deciding how many nights per week you want to go out and have fun. Avoiding dangerous substances, staying hydrated, and keeping a regular sleep schedule are also important.
While the phrase freshman fifteen emphasizes body weight, remember that numbers don't say everything about your health. Rather than thinking of your college lifestyle in terms of quantitative measurements, focus on what kind of life you want to have, and being happy and energetic in your own body!
Want to sound like a native speaker ?
Engram’s AI-powered grammar checker makes your English sound like a native speaker’s, suggesting natural English expressions on top of fixing grammar, spelling, punctuation, word order, and vocabulary.
References:
Share Article
