The joys of freshman year – freedom, roommates, all nighters and … 15 extra pounds?

Some students said there are two main reasons they gain the coveted “freshman 15.”

First, they do not have enough time to eat well-balanced meals because of school work. Secondly, students say they don’t exercise enough to get rid of the weight, which can add more stress.

Having little time to take part in activities outside of school also adds to the stress, and causes some people to overeat.

Steve Lux, a health educator for Health Enhancement Services, said it’s not only freshmen who pack on extra pounds – it’s every college-age student. Lux said students not only gain weight during their freshman year, but can gradually add pounds over time.

Lux said students commonly add about 8 pounds, not the more commonly known “15.”

One contributor to the weight gain is students’ ability to eat whatever they want, whenever they want while at school because parents aren’t around to cook or advise proper meal plans, he said.

Also, there are unlimited portions at some dining areas in the residence halls, which allows students sometimes to eat too much of the wrong foods. Often, no food nutrition information is listed and students don’t know the fat or calorie contents of the food, which might otherwise sway their decision.

However, some students felt their dining experience in the residence halls did not lead to weight gain.

Kara Sanders, a sophomore business management major who lived in Grant Towers South last year, said she thought the cafeterias in the residence halls were adequate. She said they provided a variety of foods, which allowed students to eat well-balanced meals.

“I didn’t gain the weight because I watched what I ate and exercised three times a week, because I was afraid of the ‘freshman 15’ and it stressed me out,” Sanders said.

Lux said if students pay attention to how much they eat and the types of foods they eat, they’ll be able to maintain their desired weight, or keep from gaining excessive weight. Having immediate access to health nutrition information also will help, Lux said.

Boston University psychologist Gary Glass urged students not to worry about the “freshman 15,” but to think about the “freshman 5,” which he described as a list of positive things to add throughout college:

• The confidence and independence students gain from being away from home and high school.

• More academic challenges and better satisfaction than high school offered.

• Additional friends from diverse groups.

• Experiences that can broaden and shape career paths.

• A new community to spark new interests.

Students should think more about the positives college brings, Glass said, instead of worrying about the negatives.