When freshmen begin college, they often feel like the world is their oyster.

Unfortunately, many 18- and 19-year-olds are swallowing that big oyster in one gulp — and bellying up for seconds.

There’s a name for this behavior — it’s called the “freshman 15,” and it has been a part of college life for about as long as young people have been heading off in pursuit of higher education.

That term is used to describe the typical weight gain many freshmen experience their first year away from home.

Phil Lange, a Kansas University freshman, hasn’t gained any weight yet. After all, the 18-year-old from Chicago only has been on campus a short time.

But he’s already concerned about the potential that exists for packing on the pounds.

“It’s all you can eat,” says Lange, who lives in McCollum Residence Hall and eats his meals at Ekdahl Dining Commons (known as Mrs. E’s), in Lewis Residence Hall.

“You have this feeling that every time you go in there, you have to get your money’s worth. I’m already starting to see some of the freshman 15. Going out on the weekends doesn’t help either.”

But the dining facility isn’t Lange’s only source of calories. Not by a long shot.

“Bars, parties — beer’s everywhere. It’s the late-night pizza when you get back to the dorm. And there’s fast food like Taco Bell and McDonald’s. But it’s mostly ordering food (delivered) to the dorm,” he says.

Lange’s story is the stuff of nutritionists’ nightmares.

Kansas University senior Ryan Bauer, of Omaha, Neb., eats a hamburger at the Kansas Union. Kansas University nutritionists advise college students to avoid fast food and eating late at night because they can lead to weight gain.

And, say experts at KU, it’s all too common among students on campus.

“I don’t know that the 15 pounds (in the freshman 15) is accurate, but I do see an awful lot of students completing their freshman year who have gained at least some weight. It totally varies. I’ll see students who have gained as little as five pounds and as many as 20,” says Ann Chapman, a registered dietitian and coordinator of nutrition services at Watkins Memorial Health Center.

No structure, supervision

Part of the problem is the freedom that freshmen experience when they come to campus. That nearly limitless sense of freedom extends to choices of food they eat.

Mom and dad are no longer around to structure mealtimes and provide breakfast, lunch and dinner. No one is either planning the meals, or telling freshmen to sit down and eat.

So students are left to their own devices.

That’s usually means eating at odd hours, grabbing high-calorie snacks when stomachs start growling and throwing balanced nutrition out the window.

“Pizza’s very popular because it’s (easily) available. Vending machine options usually contain fattening foods like candy bars or potato chips. And fast food is certainly a part of the picture,” Chapman says.

And factor in alcohol, too.

“No question about it. Studies indicate that alcohol is a part of the weight gain for some students. Plus, after a night of drinking for three or four hours, many students will go out and eat a fourth meal of the day,” she says.

Another reason some freshmen put on weight is anxiety about being in a new environment, or pressure to keep up with harder coursework.

“People use food to ease stress; it’s comforting. And coming to a university can be a very stressful experience. Some students will start overeating because they’re feeling stressed or lonely, and they will turn to food to soothe those feelings,” Chapman says.

Myra Strother, chief of the medical staff at Watkins Memorial Health Center, identifies a few more reasons why freshmen tend to put on weight.

“No. 1, a lot of students have a decrease in activity when they come here. In high school, they were more active in sports, but when they come KU they’re not on the regular athletic teams, and they don’t take the time to do intramurals,” she says.

“One of the second factors is their eating patterns. They’re on their own, and all options are open. They don’t choose wisely sometimes, don’t eat a good breakfast, then at the end of the day they’re loading up on fast food such as pizza or hamburgers.”

Top that off with beer and sugar-loaded soda and sports drinks, and students are well on their way to gaining the freshman 15.

Three squares, exercise

Kyra Sims, an 18-year-old KU freshman from Memphis, Tenn., has managed to keep her weight under control.

So far.

“In college, you don’t have a specific meal time. Especially at Hashinger (Residence Hall), there’s a pizza place and a sub place that are open ’til 11 o’clock on the second floor. It’s very tempting to go down there and eat pizza,” she says.

“Whenever I want a snack, it’s usually pizza, chips or a sandwich. At home (in Memphis), there’s usually a piece of fruit around or nuts, just a healthier alternative.”

Experts like Chapman and Strother have some strategies for students who, in the face of all that temptation, want to keep their weight from ballooning.

“They need to have a plan of some sort. It’s really important to eat regular meals, to come into this setting saying, ‘I’m going to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday,'” Chapman says.

“They also need to begin, or continue, exercising. That has to be planned into their schedule, too, just as if they were in a class. That’s a huge issue that they don’t realize is important.”

Many students played sports in high school but don’t continue those activities in college. That makes a huge difference in the amount of calories they’ll burn.

That’s been the case for Josh Lister, 19, a KU freshman from Topeka who lives in McCollum Residence Hall.

“I’m less active, because I don’t do sports. I ran cross-country and track in high school, so it’s a huge drop off. But I walk a lot more,” he says.

One way to avoid weight gain is to eat three square meals each day, trying not to skip meals.

“Undereating leads to overeating. If students eat lunch at noon and dinner’s at 6 o’clock, they shouldn’t go six hours without eating. They will overeat. I counsel students to eat something about every three to four hours,” Chapman says.

All college students — not just freshmen — should focus on staying active, according to Strother.

That could mean working out at KU’s new recreation center, joining an intramural team or simply walking a bit more on campus.

Sims, who’s on KU’s fencing club, plans to keep an eye on her weight so she can beat the freshman 15.

“It’s easy not to pay attention to it, but if you do, it’s possible to turn it into the freshman five,” she says.