When students enter Augustana College as First-Years in the fall, tons of numbers are thrown their way. They must worry about the hours of their classes, memorize room numbers and try to count how many minutes they have left before The Brew closes. 

Unfortunately, another number First-Years worry about is what they see on the scale, influenced heavily by the “freshman fifteen.”

Ideas surrounding the freshman fifteen, a commonplace term that refers to the tendency for college First-Years to gain weight upon entering the school, often runs rampant at dining hall tables, near the dessert trays and even in front of a mirror.

This idea can be very harmful to students who feel pressured to avoid this supposed weight-gain phenomenon, as it can create unrealistic expectations and cause them to overlook the most important aspect of eating, which is its healthiness.

Some students will only see numbers on a scale when they worry about weight, neglecting to consider that their meal gives them the nutrients they need. I spoke with First-Year Emilia Ocenasek about how students view weight gain and eating.

“I think it’s harmful for everyone to just be thinking about their weight and worrying so much about how much they eat versus how healthy they’re eating and how healthy they’re exercising,” Ocenasek said.

Another one of the freshman fifteen’s biggest issues is the completely unrealistic standards it sets for all students to look the same way they did in high school. As students grow into their adult bodies and learn how to feed themselves differently, change in some way is almost inevitable. 

Fearing those changes leads to a toxic cycle of self-shame and even body dysmorphia if a person feels guilty for going through the natural process of growing. I asked senior Allyson Lesher why pressure from society to avoid the freshman fifteen can be so destructive for a student’s self-image.

“We’re growing up. I just think it is a stupid term because no one’s going to look how they did in high school. And no one should have to feel bad about that,” Lesher said.

While this term may negatively affect students’ self-esteem, it often makes the people around them feel more insecure than they normally would. I asked one of Augustana College’s counselors, Allison Mirell-Heaton, how a person who talks badly about their own weight could affect their peers. 

Mirell-Heaton proposed a situation in which Jane Doe rejected a dessert with the reason that she would gain weight, and how her friend Jean, who also wanted the dessert, might feel.

“Jean might think, ‘Oh my goodness, I think Jane is beautiful and a very healthy weight. If Jane thinks that about herself, what must she and others think about me?” Mirell-Heaton said.

It is essential for students to stop negative self-talk about weight to practice better appreciation for themselves and their bodies, and also because students can never be aware of the kinds of ideas about weight that might send another student spiraling about themselves or questioning everything they eat. 

While it may not be possible to erase the concept of freshman fifteen from students’ minds today, it is possible to reduce the focus on worrying about this weight gain for future generations. Much of the talk about weight gain comes from adults and families at home, not just students. 

Thankfully, a lot of students now are starting to recognize how this can be toxic and can learn to find ways to break this generational cycle.

“The generation that’s getting picked on by their family right now, if they get educated on this kind of shift, then they will be kinder and more thoughtful to that next generation coming. And if they have kids, they’ll be kinder to their kids and grandkids,” Mirell-Heaton said.

At the end of the day, we decide how much to respect ourselves and know our worth. The words about weight gain are woven throughout the campus, but we must learn to love who we are and who we will grow into. We need to stop finding a purpose in obsessing over pounds.