I felt the inevitable pull of the freshman 15 the moment I stepped on campus. And, unfortunately, the day of my first meal swipe, I realized that there wasn’t much I could do to stop it. Most of the vegetables in the dining hall are soggy or fried, the meat cold or chewy and the fruit bruised or soft. As days went by, pizza and chicken fingers became my only friends, and any willpower I had toward eating right was thrown away. Suddenly, I was an unhealthy, chubby version of myself, and I didn’t know how to reverse the process.
Why is it that eating healthy in a stage of life which is critical to the formation of adult habits so close to impossible? A refrigerator for two with the dimensions of a trashcan can hardly fit more than water and leftovers, and in no way is shaped for stocking up on any actual nutritional food. Even with the space of a real kitchen, groceries on campus couldn’t be less accessible. Students on South Campus have to take a bus to North Campus, walk to Target, spend $75 on 10 items, just to lug them all the way home. And if any of those items are perishable, they have to do it all again the next week. To spend all that effort and money when Domino’s is a call away — that takes dedication.
Here’s the thing: Healthy food is expensive, and college students are poor, plain and simple. As a society, the United States decided a long time ago to commodify burgers and soda over any sort of healthy option. It takes time, effort and access to a well-stocked kitchen to even achieve the basics of a healthy meal.
There is a reason that the freshman fifteen exists: Before, your parents bought whatever organic leafy greens and Norwegian salmon your heart desired, and now you have to decide between a single avocado and a pack of ramen noodles suited for five meals.
It shouldn’t be that way.
It is detrimental to a young adult’s self-image to watch his or her body gradually become larger with no ability to prevent it. Our society promotes a happy and accepting outlook on one’s body and physical appearance, but anyone will notice that they just don’t look like they used to. I know from personal experience: the anxiety is unavoidable. Body image is important, and it should be considered in an age where mental health is at the forefront. We should have access to whatever foods we want, whether that is pizza with garlic bread or avocado toast with a side salad. Lifestyle should be a choice. And living on campus, unfortunately, makes it nearly impossible to eat healthy and feel good.
We need a solution. We need a farmer’s market, aimed towards college-age adults, with moderate prices and in walking distance of students at UNC-Chapel Hill. We need options other than the stale, dreaded salad bar. We pay for an education here, but we also need to be taken care of.
For now, here are my suggestions:
- If you have a car, become a rewards member at Harris Teeter. It will save you so much money.
- Students can get Amazon Prime for just $6.49 a month. Order groceries from Amazon and you will get the best deals right to your door.
- Get a job. It doesn’t need to consume you, but you shouldn’t be scraping the bottom of your wallet to live the way you want. Work for your money and use it wisely.
- Remember that it’s the real world now. We can complain all we want about $8 spinach and grocery stores a mile away. The truth is, though, skinny does not equal happy. And if you need to eat McDonald's three times a week because it’s cheap and across the street: do it shamelessly. Food isn't free forever, and sometimes we need to remind ourselves that it’s OK to eat smart money-wise. Some days that means buying those ramen noodles instead of an overpriced avocado, and that is OK.
