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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
ON THE HILL
AUGUST 15,2005
HEALTH
Avoid freshman 15 with diet, exercise
Kerrl Henderson/KANSAN
With the stress of class, cafeteria food, and late night pizza deliveries, it can be a challenge to keep off the pounds freshman year. This common dilemma can be avoided with a well followed exercise routine and making smart decisions when going through the cafeteria lines.
By Liz NARTOWICZ
inartowicz@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Whether it's fact or fiction, the infamous freshman 15 remains a concern for newcomers to the University.
Although there are no substantial studies that prove the freshman 15, Melissa Smith, manager of the wellness research center, said most students gained an unhealthy 10 pounds after coming to college.
"It has to do with a change in lifestyle," Smith said. "Food is always readily available at college with all-you-can-eat buffets and vending machines."
Stefanie Maerz, Overland Park senior, said part of her freshman 15 came from drinking.
Besides the abundance of food, Smith said alcohol consumption and a decrease in physical activity also contributed to the gain.
"Part of it was a growth spurt, part of it was my body reacting because I never drank in high school." Maerz said.
Maerz said her weight gain benefited her because she weighed only 100 pounds when
You can still go out and eat. At Mrs. E's I went back for seconds and thirds all the time. All you have to do is burn it off."
Aziz Sultani Shawnee senior
she arrived at the University, but that she had seen negative weight gain in her friends.
"I had a friend who gained 40 pounds her freshman year," Maerz said. "She would just go on eating bines."
Smith said one way to avoid over-eating was to develop a healthy eating schedule with the help of programs on campus. Watkins Health Center has a fulltime dietician for health assessments and nutrition counseling. Smith said she recommended incoming students meet with Ann Chapman, the dietician, at the beginning of the year to help set
up healthy guidelines. The first consultation costs $10 and each additional consultation is $7.
Another health-friendly program is the Student Recreation Fitness Center's Fit4U program. Jill Urkoski, associate director of fitness and staff development, said through the program, students could undergo a variety of fitness assessments and develop a custom workout.
Aziz Sultani, Shawnee senior,
said although he went on food
and drink benders he avoided
the flabby 15 by going to the
gym consistently.
"It doesn't matter what you're doing, as long as you're active," Urkoski said. "Weight gain comes from intake verses output."
"You can still go out and eat. At Mrs. E's I went back for seconds and thirds all the time," Sultani said. "All you have to do is burn it off."
Smith said weight gain wasn't just a problem for freshman. She said the National College Health Assessment of 2003 reported that one third of KU students were overweight.
ADVISING
- Edited by Erin M. Droste
Seek advising for smooth college transition
BY NATE KARLIN
nkarlin@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Responsibilities can be more difficult to manage when you're away from home for the first time. Students new to the University of Kansas are responsible for many things they've never been in charge of before, but keeping up with which classes to take shouldn't be one of the many hassles.
That's why the University has advisers ready to help freshmen and sophomores get through their first two years and ready to graduate in four years.
The Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center in 126 Strong Hall assigns an adviser to all incoming freshmen in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Incoming freshmen enrolled in the entrylevel programs in Architecture, Engineering and Fine Arts are assigned a faculty adviser from those schools, said Diann Burrigh, associate director of the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center.
Advisers help students understand which courses are important to their major or degree and make sure the students are staying on track to earn a degree as soon as possible. Burrigh said.
"Students who have a stronger sense of their academic requirements are more likely to make better informed choices regarding their enrollment and choice of maior," she said.
Once a student has decided on a major, an adviser will be able to make sure he or she is completing the right coursework and maintaining the
required GPA to be admitted to a professional school, Burright said.
"At a University the size of KU, there are many resources and programs for students to utilize, and it can be overwhelming to know just where to turn for answers," Burright said. "Advisers are a great point of first contact, and they can help students determine what kinds of resources might be most helpful, given each student's situation."
An adviser can also be helpful to students with programs and activities outside the realm of classes.
The amount of time students spend with their adviser varies. Students who are interested in forming a good relationship with their adviser should meet two to three times per semester, Burrighd said. Advisers can give advice to students
throughout the semester about academic policies, or, if the student is struggling with his or her classes, help deciding what are the right steps to take, she said.
When the student is ready to make the jump to a professional school, the advising center will have all of the student's information ready to make that transition easy. Burright said. The student will then be placed with an adviser in that school.
And although every student is assigned an adviser, don't depend on the University to direct your college path. Seek out professors who teach subjects you're interested in and ask them for advice. Your adviser doesn't have to be "official," and sometimes, these unofficial mentors are the most helpful.
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