Essay Characteristics of a Good College Student

Perhaps the biggest factor that causes students to gain weight is the adjustment from eating at home to eating at college. A student from Chicago State University wrote in the school paper that, “Students in their first year away from home are sometimes not experienced in choosing foods or balanced meals” (French). The free-for-all campus style eating allows for unlimited choices of food and no parents to tell students what they can or cannot eat. Dietitian Ann Litt is also quoted in a Washington Post article in stating that, “the all you can eat concept in most college food services is an invitation overeat” (Linder). College dining halls are set up like fast food restaurants, and some even contain a McDonalds or a Pizza Hut. Fast food style eating really has no nutritional value, other than lots of fat and calories. In an article which examined the ways which students eat nutritional professor Christina Economos stated that more than fifty percent of students are eating too much fat, and seventy to eighty percent are getting too much saturated fat. She states that lack of fruit and vegetable consumption and the eating of mostly processed food is the main cause of weight gain among students (Linder). When students enter the dining hall they need to remind themselves that eating healthy is important.

The expense of going to college or university can be enormous and overwhelming for students and parents. These costs can include, but are not limited to, transportation to and from campus, tuition, dorm fees, books, and many other “basics” for a young university student, leaving a lot of financial ground to cover. This often leaves little to no room for money to spare for a healthy diet, as students are generally relying on snacks and dining halls for their meals. “College is a time when young people begin to reinforce their eating habits. If you gain weight during this period of your life, it is generally an indicator that weight gain will continue after graduation” (Gores). With this knowledge in mind, developing good eating habits is very important. Developing a healthy eating plan is one way a student can start to combat the “Freshmen 15.” “Studies show that students on average gain 3 to 10 pounds during their first 2 years of college. Most of this weight gain occurs during the first semester of freshman year” (Hirsch 1) but research also suggests “that weight gain during the pursuit of higher education may go well beyond the first year, and could be a bigger health threat than parents, students, or scientists realized” (O’Connor). There are quite a few things that can contribute to this weight gain.

Obesity in America is a very prevalent issue that is affecting all generations. According to the 2015 American Obesity study, more than two-thirds of adults are obese. This is due partially to oversized portions and processed food, however, one of the biggest reasons is the lack of good eating habits while growing up. In college, students go for the more convenient food options that are generally extremely unhealthy and processed. The lack of healthy food options for students hinders the ability to create good eating habits for later in life. Grand Canyon University should establish healthier food options in campus because it will help students eat less processed foods which are causing sickness and unhealthy lifestyles.

Julianne Tarullo, a journalist from the Huffington Post and press coordination of NBCUniversal Media, explains the nutritional challenges of a college student in her article “Nutrition in College: Answers From the Experts.” Weight gain, eating habits, fad diets, drinking, and weight management are some of the nutritional challenges that a college student may face. Tarullo’s article relates to a topic of why college years are a nutritional challenge, which is a topic discussed in chapter 7 of “Get Fit Stay Well.”

Having bad eating habits can cause vastly eating disorders and illnesses. Students attending college that do not eat right are most likely to conceive an illness or become overweight. “An unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for becoming overweight and obese,” (McNight). Freshman 15 is most likely to get to the students that have This is something to think about when it comes to meal plans. The majority of the meal plans offered at any college are high in fats and calories. By consuming all of these foods you are more likely to having this problem.

Our school does not include a nutritional education program. If we implement this class, we need to make it a required class for all classmen. “Nutrition education programs are found primarily in schools within the lowest and highest rates of childhood obesity,” (Education Sets the Table for Healthy Eating in School). This shows that most schools do not include nutritional classes in their curriculum. Those in need are missing out. We can be a guidance for them at an early age to help them in the future. “Percentage of students who were overweight rose from 18 percent to 31 percent,” (Good Nutrition Deserves the Old College Try). As you can see, students in college became overweight quickly. If we can include an education at our school that teaches them to eat healthily we can lower that number. The importance of this is that with an education it can help you in the future. Including a nutritional education program at our school can help kids make healthy food choices that would stick with them

Jumping into the mindset of a college student, let’s talk about the notorious freshmen fifteen; a term coined by the creative minds of graduates. For the first year of college, monster drinks, carb-filled energy bars, high consumption of beer and sleepless nights, all play a factor into the painful weight gain. The new and clueless freshmen are always on the go, making quick pit stops at seven eleven, picking up a king size Crunch bar, running to class. Before you know it, the spring term ends, your stomach becomes so severely swollen; you could use it as a tray for your food. As college students continue to pursue their education, they forget to incorporate that bag of carrots or even an apple to start the day with. The freshmen newbies forget

Thesis Statement: Healthy eating is not something to worry about down the road; we need to act now, while we are young to develop good habits for the future.

Based on my own experiences as a college student, I can relate to the point made in the Hoffman (2006) article regarding the freshman 15 where studies show that freshman students tend to gain weight due to poor eating habits because during my freshman year, I consumed a significant amount of restaurant food because I wanted to explore Merced. However, I am not so sure about their point that the freshman 15 is hard to control because there are certain measures that can be taken in order to ensure healthy eating. One method is to get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. This is what I have been doing throughout my college career and it has helped out tremendously in terms of weight

Obesity has risen over the years. The United States now has one of the highest obesity rates. Bad eating habits are usually the cause of this pandemic. For the past few decades, college dorm foods have led to these habits. The more unhealthy food choices are, the harder it is for people to resist these foods. Colleges serve a variety of unhealthy food in their dining halls that contributes to students’ lower GPA. By eating healthier, students can maintain a healthy weight, focus better in school, and increase their school performance to a higher grade point average (GPA).

Keeping a constant healthy nutrition during college is hard because I do not have time to worry about my food. I try my best to choose wisely, what I consume daily. Eating breakfast is very important to me because without it I will not have that morning boost. Making sure I consume my daily dose of water, I carry a bottle of water with me every day. Going to the gym and exercising is a habit that kept me stress less. Making sure that I play my favorite sport during the weekend, I keep my daily nutrition healthy. Because of the schedule between my school and work, I keep my nutrition fast and convenient.

Most college students don’t eat healthy because of lacks of funds and time (Reyes, 2010). When I was a freshman in college, I used to eat at the cafeteria every morning, evening, and night. When the cafeteria closed at 9 o’clock PM, I used to go to the deli and get a burger with chili cheese fries. I used to do that every other night. When I was busy with school, I honestly never had a set schedule when I would eat. It would vary from early in the morning or late at night. Freshman 15 is definitely serious. I gained over 40 pounds during my first year in college. The reason why I did because I didn’t have a kitchen to cook for myself. I had to eat fast food or at the cafeteria.

Every year college kids gain weight. Lisa Flam from Today’s Health believes that only about 25% of freshmen who to lose weight. Many college kids begins to lose their fast metabolism and gain weight. Some of the other factors that cause teens to gain weight is drinking, not getting enough sleep, and not having good eating habits. When trying to lose weight the same information is always suggested eat healthy, daily exercise, and drink plenty of water. What happens when trying these methods doesn’t work? If this method isn’t working then there are different programs that can be used. When beginning a new weight loss program some research should be done before hand. Who would imagine that having a meal plan delivered at the door would be possible? If food delivery isn’t the method that is preferred, there is supplement programs to help lose weight. If none of these options sound appealing, there is also group meetings. There are hundreds of different weight loss programs, but each have similar structures.

College is a competitive environment; in order to succeed in it a student needs certain skills. Those skills can only be learned. A college professor mentioned that there five basic rules that need to be followed in order to become a good student: study, do all the homework and the assigned reading, attend class, and, most importantly, develop self-discipline and time management 1. In the following lines, a detailed analysis of those different steps will be done. So, let’s get started.

A good student is someone who always tries to do the right thing and makes education an important priority. Being a good student in school is an excellent start on having a successful future. Motivation is the key to their success. There are many qualities to be considered a good student. Three of the most important qualities are maintaining good grades, having excellent behavior, and managing your time wisely.