First Year Syndrome

First Year Syndrome and how to combat it

When starting a new chapter in your life as a student at a University, it is known that you can expect many changes. A very well-known term in South Africa is First Year Syndrome. Profgrad would like to explain what this entails and how to combat this Syndrome.

Student life is well known for late night partying and eating junk food. This is where First Year Syndrome makes its appearance. This Syndrome is said to have first year students pick up weight and drop their academic average by 25%. This could happen before you even notice it. Although not an actual medically recorded syndrome, many students experience this in their first year of university. Be very careful of how you spend your days and especially nights at university as this could have a huge impact on your weight and academic future. Some students claim to pick up weight because they do not have the necessary facilities to cook healthy food. Another reason is usually that students begin missing home and therefore begin eating because they feel sad.  A study has shown that student living on campus gain more weight than students who live off campus.

See the full study.

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/236595573_Predicting_the_'freshman_15'_Environmental_and_psychological_predictors_of_weight_gain_in_first-year_university_students/file/72e7e5182c5af53eee.pdf

Now that you know what first year syndrome is and how you contract this terrible thing, it is easy to work on a way to combat it. It does not mean you would have to sacrifice partying or junk food; you can still enjoy all the fun things about being a student. Most Universities have gym facilities on campus that can be used by students at a very reasonable price. You will need to have an exercise plan in place, if you are not willing to compromise on the socializing. Always be aware of what you are eating and drinking. You should weigh yourself daily to ensure that you are not experiencing any weight gain. Eat three meals a day and snacks (yoghurt and fresh fruits) in-between meals to keep you metabolism going. These are just a few of the ways to combat First year syndrome. There are no easy ways for students to stay healthy; it takes hard work and good eating habits.

Are you scared of getting First year Syndrome?