So it won’t be long before you’ll get into your dream college. Many college and university dining halls offer all-you-can-eat food to students.

Unlike high school and middle schools, which often try to serve healthy foods, not all of these foods are the best to eat for you. So let’s check it out: Is the Freshman 15 real or just a myth?

Combine fatty and sugary foods with sodas and unlimited portions and you get the “Freshman 15″ — the 15 pounds gained by many students in their freshman year of college.

Well, it really depends on the person. If you eat unhealthily and don’t exercise, there’s a good chance you’ll experience some weight gain in college.

However, if you’re able to control your eating habits well and/or exercise, you won’t have much to worry about.

After my first year, I noticed that most people hadn’t really changed weight at all, though there were definitely some students who had put on a few pounds over the year. So, what can you do to avoid the Freshman 15?

Eating too much of the wrong food is a common problem among college students who experience the difference between high school and college, and not only students by the way! Startup entrepreneurs, for example, like students, often feel overwhelmed by what’s going on around them.

Eat less and exercise more

As with anything else regarding weight, the obvious answers of “eat less” and “exercise more” are what counts, but here are a few ways I’ve found that help you achieve those two:

Don’t drink soda. This is a huge one — if your dining hall provides unlimited soda, try drinking something more healthy instead, like juice, iced tea, or best yet, water. Limit your soda intake and you’ll cut way back on unhealthy sugars and calories.
Have a piece of fruit as dessert. Instead of grabbing cake, cookies, or some other dessert, grab a piece of fruit. Fruits have their own sugars which are far healthier for you and still taste great. See also this post with more great tips to be successful in college.
Put less food on your plate. I’ve found out that I’m usually too lazy to get seconds, so by putting less food on my plate, I would eat less. If you’re grabbing huge platefuls of food, you’re going to feel like you need to eat it. Go small. Also here counts, there’s a rule to remember, the 80/20 rule. You’re bound to waste 80% of your time on bad food while perhaps only 20% of your time, you’ll be eating healthy foods!
Exercise when you can. You don’t need to do a sport or go to the gym daily, but small lifestyle changes can make a difference: walk instead of taking the bus, take stairs instead of the elevator, and so forth.
Prepare your own food. For example, if the dining hall is serving corn dogs, make yourself a sandwich instead — usually food you assemble yourself can be healthier.

Freshman orientation

What’s a good college for you? Maybe you’ve already made up your mind and decided on which school you’ll be going to. But maybe you haven’t.

Colleges, yes it is true that there are a lot of them, but how do you find out what’s a good college for you? There is no such thing as a perfect college, but these suggestions are going to help you find the one that is most suitable.

Here are some tips on how to find a college that’s right for you.

Primary considerations

You can narrow your choices by keeping the following in mind: consider all the possibilities and think about what you need. Ask yourself these questions:

What matters to you?
What do you want to study?
What career path do you intend to take?

So now when we’ve come closer to when most colleges have informed applicants if they’re accepted or not, you’ll probably be stressing more about your future. Keep also in mind that college comes at a cost but, fortunately, there are so many options to help you fund your education.

Sure, you’ve been doing all that’s humanly possible so far, and what’s left is just a waiting game. But there’ll always be that nervousness that’ll haunt you. You just don’t know yet if you’ve been accepted at your dream schools or if, and may God forbid, it all went haywire.

In case they don’t want you, attending the school’s courses through online programs is an option but please be aware that online studying is not for everyone so you may want to check out another school.

Whatever your option, understanding how to write a good resume is always required so be sure to check out this post that explains that very well.

Just check out the following websites to help you answer those questions that have been haunting you for so long. Check out “College Board” where you can find lots of information on colleges and careers as well as learn how to sign up for the SAT.

You may also want to check out “How do I stack up?”, a great online platform where you can learn everything about a college and see how you stand compared to other students. Another interesting website that I’ve discovered is called “MyChances.net”. To learn more about how your GPA works in college, check out this post.

Finding answers

Size, Location, and Distance

These are three of the factors that students usually consider. Size is important in case you decide to change courses. If the college offers several degrees, you won’t have to transfer schools.

Related to this are the majors and classes available. Later on, you can decide on a Masters or perhaps a Ph.D. Do they have what you are looking for?

Location is another important factor and has something to do with its distance from your home. Are you willing to move to another state, even halfway across the country? This is something you need to think about very carefully and requires family consultations. Check out also this post full of tips for college.

Options, Activities, and Student Body Makeup

Some students also like to take into account a school’s available extracurricular activities, the student body makeup, and housing options. The last one is crucial if it is far away from your home.

Of course, you also have to think of the atmosphere of the place. This might seem trivial, but an unfriendly ambiance can disrupt your studies. So our advice: visit the schools and learn what it’s like to live on their campus.

Think of the Future

When considering how to find a college, remember that it is all about preparing for the future. What do you want to accomplish? Does your plan require a specific type of training? What if you decide to change your study field and want to pursue a career in healthcare, for example? Does the educational institution have that capability?

This is something you need to take into serious consideration. If your choice does not have what it takes, you should look for another one. Sometimes your preferred school may not have what it takes so in this case you need to think about the future.

At the same time, don’t underestimate yourself. Even if you come from a small town, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to succeed in a large, prestigious college. You must have confidence in yourself and your abilities. Keep in mind, though, that developing well-rounded health literacy will also be crucial in college!

Get Advice

Ask your school advisor, friends, teachers, or family members. They will be more than willing to guide. Your advisors may offer views and perspectives that you didn’t see. You don’t have to make this life-changing decision alone—there are others who can help you.

Also, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only expensive colleges are good because that’s simply not true. And if things don’t exactly work out as you had hoped for, you can always beat the competition and get your bachelor’s degree through an online course!

One more thing needs to be said on how to find a college: it is all about finding a place where you will be happy and obtain a good education. In the end, it all comes down to finding an institution that will help you attain your goals.