Social Eating: The Peer Pressure that Can Lead to the Freshman 15

Happy Wednesday! I'm onto my second week of school and so far, so good. Before I get into my post I want to briefly talk about last week. I had a great first week of school and I am so proud of my decisions! I made healthy choices in the dining hall, I got out and socialized, I worked out everyday, and I didn't allow myself to get too stressed out. Although they may seem small, these decisions are big accomplishments for me, and I already feel as if this year is my year! I'll keep you all updated and I hope you all had a great week last week as well :)

So anyways..... 

I had a good start to my week, this week, on Monday, by having a meeting with a nutritionist to discuss an upcoming event. When she asked me what I thought students needed to know about, I told her portion sizes and basic nutritional information, but after great conversation and thinking about the freshman 15, I came up with something I feel that freshman struggle with especially; social eating. 

A common bond among people all over the world is food. It's how we survive, and if you live in a country like America, it is always around. It's easy to bond with someone over food and make conversation about food. It's also easy to meet with people when there is food involved, as companies do with box lunch meetings, and acquaintances do with coffee and a pastry. Food just provides a light energy when it comes to conversations, especially those that may seem awkward, formal, or tense. These situations, however, are not necessarily what I'm talking about when I refer to "social eating" in the college setting. 

Social eating, in the college setting, is more closely related to peer pressure and societal pressure. As a freshman I made many friends over meals and food, I will admit that. I will also admit that when someone asked to go to Cookout at midnight I did not turn down the offer. The true reason I wouldn't turn an offer like this down, as a freshman, was because I didn't want to miss anything. I didn't want to be the person to say it was way to late to drink a heavy milkshake, because that would be lame, and even though I may have felt that way, I finished off the milkshake in minutes. On top of that, it's as if the pressure doesn't end. At dinner everyone is getting a burger and fries, so why shouldn't I? To finish the meal, everyone is getting a bowl of ice cream, and I don't want to be that one person just sitting there watching, so I'll get some too. The dining hall is famous for it's buffalo wraps, so I need to have one for lunch every Wednesday, like everyone else. It is a never ending problem, if you let it become one. 

Last week someone asked me how I resist chocolate and pizza, college staples, of course. The answer is simple, will power. I use will power to resist such foods and I also use will power to overcome societal pressure in college. It's understandable that you may want to conform to others in college, but eating something because everyone else is, or because someone wants you to, is not healthy. You need to make decisions for yourself, after all, you are growing up and on your own, and you are much too old for peer pressure. Being pressured into eating foods, and giving into the pressure, is your fast track to the freshman 15. It's one thing to actually want, say, a piece of pizza, but it's another thing to eat a piece of pizza just because your friend ordered a box and wants you to split it with her/him. 

So please remember, next time someone asks you to go out to eat late at night with them, or to grab a bowl of ice cream to only agree if that's what you really want, not just because everyone else is eating it. You will live a much healthier college life if you don't let social eating take over.