To a certain degree most college students are aesthetically self-conscious. The guys are all about the body building physique and the girls are all about the slim sexy shape, especially at their new home in Miami. What a surprise!

Most of the incoming freshmen get their makeovers and prepare for that first impression on the college campus, not to mention the first trip to South Beach with their new college friends. Everyone wants to look good. No body really thinks about to the infamous "freshman fifteen" that comes normally doesn't creeping around the corner the first semester. Nor do many students do anything to prevent the common and unnecessary weight increase. They either assume it won't happen to them or get too caught up in the college experience to worry about their own health.

There are too many ways that the college environment allows for weight gain. The dining halls' buffet style meals permit as many servings as humanly possible. There are some students out there that feel that three cheeseburgers are not enough at one meal, and that is the problem. This excessive gorging has a negative effect on one's body mass. Young people are growing sideways more often and faster than ever before.

Cornell University suggested many contributing factors to the "freshman fifteen": Skipping meals, snacking while studying, late nights, and fast food/ordering in, vending machines, lack of exercise, high calorie drinks, and alcohol consumption are all habits which cause one to put on the pounds. Whenever one skips a meal, hunger sets in at a more heightened manner causing one to overeat at the next meal. The vending machines don't care about your health, so these serve everybody junk food. The greasy potato chips, candy, and the soft drinks (liquid candy!) are all high calorie food products with extremely little nutritional value; all not good for you. The late nights many college students chose to partake in throw off one's metabolism, once again, causing weight gain.

An additional cause of the freshman fifteen is due to the holiday season. Starting with the Thanksgiving smorgasbord through the New Year celebration (lots of alcohol); many people just can't get away from the constant chow. It may be a jolly ending to a good year but during second semester, trying to fit in that skimpy bikini or that muscle shirt, fifteen pounds heavier, just won't cut it. Weight gain during the holiday season is almost inevitable, but not if one moderates their food and alcohol intake. Eat responsibly!