Freshman year at college produces an abnormal amount of stress on an 18-year-old who is generally away from home for the very first time. And, since many of us eat when under stress, it is no wonder that many freshmen gain between 7 and 15 pounds the first year they are at college. One of the ways in which freshmen can reduce the amount of weight they gain is by helping to reduce their stress.
It is important to recognize the types of behavior which you associate with being stressed. In other words, some people eat more while some people eat less. Some people may exercise more while others turn to alcohol, drugs or cigarettes in order to help calm their nerves. All of these methods are not healthy and can lead to some significant negative consequences such as poor grades, losing scholarship money, loss of friends and eventually experiencing academic suspension.
Instead it is important to develop your own stress management tools which you can use when you are feeling the stress of this freshman year. Some of the more common causes of feeling stressed while in college includes the workload which is significantly more involved than when you were in high school. There is often less hand holding from parents and teachers, the classes are more challenging and you are suddenly thrust into a situation where you were much more independent than you ever have been before. With that independence comes other social stressors which often involve leaving an entire support structure at home and creating an entirely new network.
Other stressors that affect freshmen include dealing with being away from home for the first time and finding they have less parental support. Finding and living with their roommate, balancing friends with school and dealing with the dynamics of other relationships all present challenges that can lead to a significant amount of stress. Many students also keep late hours to study or go out with their friends and then try to get up early for classes. The logistics of living independently can also cause stress when students attempt to juggle laundry, car insurance and bank accounts along with school, classes and a part-time job.
We all deal with stress in a unique way and college students are not different. Feelings of being overwhelmed, gaining 10 to 15 pounds and a high dropout rate all round are the most significant negative effects of the stressors that freshman feel when they first enter college. But there are specific things that college students can do to decrease the amount of stress many perceive in their lives as well as reduce the amount of future stress they may feel. By being able to juggle fun and study, they can decrease stress and improve their overall outcome.
College students should create their own living space where there is a quiet place for them to focus and concentrate. If their dorm room is not an option because their roommate is noisy then they may have to find a favorite place such as a coffee shop or the library. New students should also avoid feelings of being overwhelmed by the number of tasks that have to be performed by creating a schedule that allows them time to study and get their work done. By not taking too many classes freshman year they are able to better juggle the responsibilities they encounter and then increase their workload in the second semester. Students often need more time than they first realize, so it is best to overestimate how much time you need to study.
One of the things that often gets overlooked when going to college is getting regular exercise. While high school students may have been involved in physical education classes or recreational sports, this is not as available at the college level. Most colleges do have workout facilities available for their students and students should take full advantage of it. By getting at least 30 to 40 minutes of exercise, three to four times a week, students are able to stay better focused, get better rest and have an overall feeling of well-being which leads to decreased stress and improved productivity.
Without parents to be around to ensure that you get healthy food and adequate amounts of sleep many students skip on both. By eating right and forgoing any fast food and junk foods you will be better able to handle the stress that comes your way. Keep your dorm room or apartment stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables or high protein snacks so that you are not tempted by the candy bars and chips.
Even though it feels as if you may be missing out on some fun, it is important to get enough sleep because of your busy schedule. Students often find that others get together to chat late in the night but by getting enough rest and committing yourself to getting as close to eight hours a night as you can you will be better able to function in the classroom and be productive. If you know you are going to be out late and like to stay up, don’t schedule an early morning class. If you must get up early, you need to go to bed at a reasonable hour.
Recognize that you probably will have some periods of time during your freshman year when you will be tempted to fall into emotional eating habits. It is important to remember what triggers cause you to start eating and avoid those as much as possible. You also may want to look for an accountability partner, another freshman who is struggling with the same issues, so that you can keep yourselves on the right track.
There are literally four different ways of dealing with stress-you can avoid it, alter it, adapt to it or accept it. While at college, students often must adapt to the stressors they face and find alternative ways of dealing with it. Unable to say “no” to instructors and professors, students must instead learn to organize their time so that they are able to complete their tasks without becoming overwhelmed.
By taking control of the environment, both the stressors and the organization, students will be able to decrease their stress level and hopefully decrease the amount of eating(overeating) they do. While there aren’t too many freshmen who are able to avoid the freshman 15 it just might be that you are one who makes it the freshman five.
Resources:
US National Library of Medicine: Stress Management
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001942.htm
American Heart Association: How Does Stress Affect You?
MayoClinic: Stress Management
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/MY00435
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