Living a healthy life is very desirable, but how can one go about doing so in college? There is the common warning about the “Freshman 15,” which happens to be true! Coming to college I gained about 10lbs my first year! That was such a shock. Coming from a highly physically active life and having access to healthy food on a regular basis, to the breakdown in regimen at Spelman College impacted the way in which my body functioned. Our bodies work as highly specialized functioning machines, and something so slight as a diet change could knock you off balance. The illustrious institution of Spelman College, claims they are striving for a healthy campus, but they do not focus on the health of their students. What actions are they talking better the student body physically? I know we are a Division III school, but our athletics department is not up to par of that of Agnes Scott! Our cafeteria offers a variety of foods, but most are high in sodium and complex carbs.
One does not have to be a health freak to realize that the food in the Spelman Cafeteria is not the best for your body. With the “too salty” taste that lingers on your tongue and the urge to use the bathroom, how can that be healthy? Trying to find the balance between foods that taste good, and those that are good for you can be difficult. But, if there is only one choice, the healthy choice, there is no problem. Staples of Spelman’s cafeteria are a salad bar, fried foods, pasta, pizza and dessert. How healthy is that? Ok, they do have a small, quarter-size refrigerator, all the way in the back of the cafeteria, devoted to the vegans and vegetarians, but that’s not enough. Also, depending on where you live on campus, eating healthy from your dorm is limited. The regulations on having personal refrigerators hinder most from consuming healthy and fresh foods outside of the cafeteria. Also, buying food is expensive, we are college students! Spelman is a college of free thinking woman who are often served the meals of ignorant eaters.
We come to college and learn all about our majors and minors but fail to learn the importance of eating right and being physically active. A part from eating right, there is a physical aspect of healthy living. It is essential to exercise, for your heart and well-being. Yet physical activity is not too popular on our campus. The athletics department is one of the smallest buildings on college grounds. Does that speak to you about its importance on our campus? I think so! I will commend the Athletic department for creating the “wellness center” which provides dieting and exercising guidance to students, that is a great initiative. But, the lack of access to the workout room during the day is ridiculous. One has to figure out what random time the center will be open so they can get their work-out on, it shouldn’t be that difficult. The athletics at Spelman are literally invisible. Yes, we are an all woman institution, but I believe we are still competitive. Student athletes are proven to perform better academically, as sports provide a sense of balance to their life, yet such a small percentage of our student body is involved in sports.
I’m personally tired of paying for 3 meals a day, and leaving the cafeteria hungry, because there was “nothing” to eat. As an institution Spelman should be promoting healthy living, both physically and mentally. I feel that having healthy students is just as important as having educated ones. Obesity is an ever growing problem on this campus, and the only way to fight it is to enforce healthier living standards. Many said coming to Spelman College has been the right choice, but was it the healthy choice?
...REALLY?Response - A. Pruitt
Living healthy is very desirable. However, so is making a 4.0. Both can be obtained but take the necessary actions for achievement. Coming to college is an obstacle in trying to maintain healthy lifestyles. However, college is just an obstacle it is not a dead end. Therefore, I would not use college as an excuse for a lack of perseverance and determination.
Spleman has progressed in their endeavors of striving for a healthier campus. However, rarely do people take advantages of many of the services they provide. Read Hall, a building that is usually only frequented by first year students taking their required physical education classes or student athletes, offers a variety of programs targeted to physical activity. As both an athlete at Spelman and an active person, I consider attacking Spelman’s collegiate sports programs and their efforts to provide healthy activities is fallacious. “Freshman 15” is a choice. My freshman year of college I lost fifteen pounds as a result of Spelman's gym and partaking in Spelman athletics. As a freshman I was both broke and without transportation, therefore I ate in the cafeteria. Although the food in the cafeteria is not the best, the cafeteria does provide choices. If students can frequent the pizza and hamburger line they can also frequent the salad bar, sandwich line and stir fry line. Again these are simply choices.
Additionally, Spelman does not put great emphasis on athletics and the times offered in the Wellness center may be inconvenient. However, who is to say that physical activity is limited to the walls of just one building. I recall many days, nights, evenings running around the oval and running at Morehouse’s track. These locations do not have strict hours. The simple desire to stay healthy is not enough to stimulate the drive that it takes to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Spelman teaches us to be free thinking women. Our classes stress the importance of critical thinking, and teach us to be women who think out the box. These analytical strengths should be used in all aspects of life. Therefore, if you go to the cafeteria spice up your salad, add some lean meat and vinaigrette, take a brisk walk around the AUC instead of using the limited Wellness center hours as an excuse, and most of all have the determination to strive for what you want. If healthy living is what you aspire, then take the necessary actions to see it happen.
15 comments:
response: A. Pruitt
Living healthy is very desirable. However, so is making a 4.0. Both can be obtained but take the necessary actions for achievement. Coming to college is an obstacle in trying to maintain healthy lifestyles. However, college is just an obstacle it is not a dead end. Therefore, I would not use college as an excuse for a lack of perseverance and determination.
Spleman has progressed in their endeavors of striving for a healthier campus. However, rarely do people take advantages of many of the services they provide. Read Hall, a building that is usually only frequented by first year students taking their required physical education classes or student athletes, offers a variety of programs targeted to physical activity. As both an athlete at Spelman and an active person, I consider attacking Spelman’s collegiate sports programs and their efforts to provide healthy activities is fallacious. “Freshman 15” is a choice. My freshman year of college I lost fifteen pounds as a result of Spelman's gym and partaking in Spelman athletics. As a freshman I was both broke and without transportation, therefore I ate in the cafeteria. Although the food in the cafeteria is not the best, the cafeteria does provide choices. If students can frequent the pizza and hamburger line they can also frequent the salad bar, sandwich line and stir fry line. Again these are simply choices.
Additionally, Spelman does not put great emphasis on athletics and the times offered in the Wellness center may be inconvenient. However, who is to say that physical activity is limited to the walls of just one building. I recall many days, nights, evenings running around the oval and running at Morehouse’s track. These locations do not have strict hours. The simple desire to stay healthy is not enough to stimulate the drive that it takes to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Spelman teaches us to be free thinking women. Our classes stress the importance of critical thinking, and teach us to be women who think out the box. These analytical strengths should be used in all aspects of life. Therefore, if you go to the cafeteria spice up your salad, add some lean meat and vinaigrette, take a brisk walk around the AUC instead of using the limited Wellness center hours as an excuse, and most of all have the determination to strive for what you want. If healthy living is what you aspire, then take the necessary actions to see it happen.
I will preface my comments with the following: I am an athlete and do appreciate having options of eating healthy and at times, induldging myself. Nevertheless, the claim that healthy living involves eating healthy foods and the lack thereof promotes poor living standards and worse, obesity. While I do agree that healthy food to cost, but so do other things like cars, houses and clothes that have added intrinsic and extrinsic worth. Additionally, the arguement that there is only 2 choices- healthy or unhealthy- is a fallacious one. The dualistic approach (i.e., black/white, good/bad) is dangerous when speaking on a topic very sensitive to majority of people. Moreover, enforcing stricter living standards will not do away with obesity. In fact, this approach only touches the surface of the sociological and psychological implications of the process. Those suffereing with obesity are likely to suffer from depression,anxiety, have some disorder or maybe a generational issue. So, let's not belittle their conditions by simply assuming "hey, no more fried chicken wednesday" protests and marches.
A. Pruitt speaks to what the human drive is able to do. Hard work and determination should guide one's actions. Albeit, Spelman should take more proactive steps at harboring healthy living styles, it should not take precedence over what the institution was to develop-- free thining and compotent black women. Similarly, Morehouse athletics is a big part of our campus. However, various sports require different dietary regiments. Thus,to mandate one universal one may prove difficult.
As with anything in life you want, you must work for it. While I agree that healthy living should be promoted, I do agree, however, that it is ultimately the student's choice.
I completely agree with Kristen. If we are expected to be healthy and live healthy lifestyles, the institution which we spend most of ourt time at should aid us in this effort that they supposedly support.
Many other schools take greater inciatives to make sure they students physical health isn't hindered while in college, but Spelman greatly lacks in this area.
Spelman College and it's adminstration really need to improve their efforts in helping keep healthy students. Though we as students should do our part as Ashley highlighted, the school we attend and the food/exercise utilities they provide play a major role aswell.
-Charise Patterson
I totally agree with the response on living healthy at Spelman College. One has to make the effort in order to achieve the reults she desires. As Ashley stated, Read Hall is an excellent facility used by those first-year students who need to meet their pe requirement. But how many upperclass men do you see taking extra dance or gym classes to wstay in shape? not many. Also as stated before, there are not many athletes on spelman's campus. Last year I did Freshmen Step and I lost ten pounds due to the heavy excercise regiment and increased fruits and vegetables I ate. The more one is active and eating healthy, the less chance he or she has at gaining the "freshmen 15". I also believe that blaming the cafeteria for providing unhealthy choices is not a cause for obesity because the cafe does have healthy choices in it, and spelman is improving every single year. This year one has the option to put lean meat in their salad, as ashley stated. Also the sandwich line now offers a grill so that you can turn a boring healthy sandwich into a warm, equally healthy panini. With all these options open, it is not fair to blam Spelman College for students not being healthy. The same way a student seeeks out ways for academic sucess is the same way a student concerned with her health should seek physical wellbeing.
-Jessica Gibbs
The freshman 15 has happened to many students, but not to all students. Students make the choice to consume unhealthy foods. Spelman has tried several initiatives that cater to students and healthy living. The hours in the wellness center have fluctuated constantly because students do not take advantage of the services. Spelman is not responsible for students not taking advantage of their resources. Wellness has been trying to build a new facility for years, but will not be allotted the funds because students do not use its services. Why put money into something that the students do not take advantage of? Spelman provides us with various choices for food and they can not force us to make the healthy choices. The cafeteria does not have to be the best for students to make the best choices.
I agree that Spelman College has not adequately provided healthy balanced meals, but I argue that they have made an attempt. As you have stated the "Freshman 15" is a problem; but when you walk in the cafeteria there is a sign explaining how to avoid gaining those pounds and living and eating healthy. I feel that even if we offered classes on healthy living or made a special program about eating right, students are not going to flock to this or even live better, its a conscious decision on an individual level not Spelman College's decision.
I also think that you are placing too much blame on the types of food served and not the time food is eaten. I am accustomed to eating full but healthy meals as well. But what I am not used to is eating so early. The body only needs three hours to digest foods and the fact that the cafe closes so early causes students not only to be hungry later at night but to spend money that they don't have or be hungry. This is the cycle of how students gain the "Freshman 15", its not what the cafeteria is serving but its the hours of operation. Honestly if the cafeteria closed at 8pm then that would give students the opportunity to eat dinner, which would help them refresh their minds and be ready to do homework. As long as that student did not go to sleep before 11 then has given her body the proper amount of time to digest the food.
I agree with perfectjoy, Spelman students should take their own initiative in desiring and learning to eat and live better instead of blaming the college for personal decisions.
Although it is true that the Spelman Cafeteria does have very slim pickings when it comes to eating healthy, I also believe that the responsibility of eating healthy and remaining healthy lies within a person taking their own intiative. Obesity is not only a problem at Spelman College, it is a problem within the entire country. The reason that it is a problem is because people tend to be lazy and want to blame everything on others rather than taking responsibility for themselves.
For example, people blame fast food industries such as McDonalds for the obesity of this nation. However, McDonalds didn't force a Big Mac down anyones throat, people choose to eat it. There are healthy choices in Spelman's cafeteria, and while one may feel like they are eating the same thing every night, eat the same salad instead of the same slice of pizza if your goal is to remain healthy.
Freshman 15 is not unique to Spelman and it actually has a lot to do with the fact that around college age, people's metabolism slows. Like A. Pruitt said, you don't need to be in athletic center such as read hall to exercise. The oval never closes.
S. Childs-
I agree with the author of the original post. Though Spelman is not completely responsible for each student's health, Spelman has a responsibility to provide functional, realistic options for healthy living.
As the author mentioned, the small refrigerator devoted to vegans and vegetarians is simply not enough. As a meat and dairy eater, I should not be limited to those types of food. The strict prohibition of personal refrigerators is also a small issue with bigger (literally) consequences. I would love to store fresh fruit and other healthy snacking options. However, I cannot do that when I am forced to share a miniature refrigerator with several other women and regulations on what & when I can store.
I do not agree that the Wellness Center hours are inflexible because we must take into consideration the fact that it is practically student- run. Regardless of major, Spelman students do not have time to supervise a gym that is rarely utilized by other students. It’s a matter of supply and demand. If Spelmanites demanded more hours by showing up more often, then the Wellness Center would have more flexible hours.
That aside, Spelman College needs to provide healthier and tastier food options. Fried Chicken Wednesdays (not to mention peach cobbler)?
Living a healthy lifestyle on Spelman's campus is definitely a choice. When I first came to Spelman, I also lost about 10 pounds instead of gaining the freshman fifteen. If students make the choice to eat all the unhealthy choices in the cafeteria then there will be consequences of weight gain. Choosing the healthier dishes, or picking and choosing between vegetables, meat, or salads and perhaps staying away from pizza and pasta will have an overall effect on the student's health.
Exercise is an option for on-campus students,there are usually excercise facilities in their residence hall. If not, there is plenty of walking that can be done in the AUC, on Spelman's campus, and surrounding areas. These are options if the student does not want to try to fit the work-out room's schedule into theirs. Perhaps taking a physical education course involving a workout, or joining a sport would increase excercise time as well.
These are all choices. If a student goes to the cafeteria and eats all the unhealthy choices and does not excercise, weight gain will occur. If a student makes healthy cafeteria choices and adds some sort of physical exercise perhaps weight will decrease and health will increase. Spelman provides meals and exercise facilities. It is the student's responsibility to know what is the right choice for them.
Lauren Banks
As freshmen we are literally forced into eating at the cafeteria. I believe that the "Freshman 15" is a result in the variety of choices we have in the caf. During my freshman year I recall getting two, sometimes three plates of food. I suppose I can say that I'm fortunate -- due to my fast metabolism, I did not gain any weight. I do agree with Kristen; the choices of food we have at Spelman are not up to par. However, it is at the student’s discretion to live a healthy life. Spelman should not be held responsible of students weight gain, especially when they display posters on how to “avoid the freshman 15”, nutritional facts for food, and a Wellness Center.
While I do believe that students should remain cognizant of their daily intakes and diets, I do believe that the Spelman cafeteria and wellness areas do play a factor in students' decisions towards an active and healthy lifestyle. The cost for a three meal-per day boarding plan is rougly $3,700 for one student. Multiply that by the 500+ freshman students that utilize the three meal-per day boarding plan and it will result that Spelman rakes in almost 2 million dollars PER YEAR from those students ALONE! With that information, why is it that Spelman cannot seem to provide us with adequate and healthy meals to provide for the needs of today's women? Alone from healthier foods, Spelman's cafeteria needs to adopt a wide variety of APPETIZING foods. If this is done, it would significatly reduce students leaving the cafeteria with empty stomachs, only to return to their rooms in order to stuff themselves with fat saturated snacks.
Another way that Spelman can become more active in students' well being is to expand the wellness center and its hours. The wellness center is VERY SMALL and only operates during certain hours. Therefore, this discourages many students from utilizing the center becuase there may not be any available machines to use or the center is closed. Spelman students are charged $350 per year for student activity fees, which includes the use of the wellness center. Multiplied by the 500+ freshman students alone who pay this fee, Spelman rakes in more than $200,000! So why is it that we are not provided with adequate wellness areas?
The argument that Spelman is to blame for students' unhealthy ways, in my eyes, can be viewed from both standpoints that it is and that it isn't. However, to me it specifically correlates with the fact that Historically Black Colleges and Universities tote some of the highest tuituion rates in the country, yet are extremely CHEAP when it comes to providing for their students.
-Justine Burke
I completly understand that a person's health is very important/ I just do not feel that it is Spelman's job or purpose to make sure that EVERY girl on campus has the most healthiest diet.Spelman's main purpose for existence is to give every young woman the proper education that she needs and also to make sure that each girl has certain standards for herself upon leaving college. And yes there are plenty of girls who have gained the 'freshman 15', but this statement does not just apply to Spelman College, but to colleges/universities everywhere; because that's what tends to happen! And I know a lot of people who haven't gained the 'freshman 15'. As you mentioned, Spelman does try and and provide excercising rooms and equipment, especially in the student dorms. My main point basically is that we are all grown woman here, and we should all be able to regulate how and what we eat.
-Whitnee Goins
Response: R. Tuzo
Personally, I agree with Ms. Pruitt but only to a certain degree with some of the issues she covered. As a former student athlete, I completely understand the statements made about our Division III athletics department not being up to par in comparison to other Division III Schools, or the fact that one can benefit from being a student athlete academically. However, placing the blame solely on Spelman’s shoulders seems a bit uncharacteristic.
As an international student, I assume that I probably see this argument from a completely different angle than most other Spelmanites. Coming from a country where the norm is healthy eating and high exercise rates culturally, to a country that has built multi-million dollar fast food industries, there is a different societal attitude towards the consumption of food and exercise. Not to say that everyone in the United States has this problem, but the “McDonaldlization” of the American society has lead to the problems we now see, not Spelman. In Bermuda, American fast food industries are banned, there is no McDonalds, or Burger King, or Lucky Buddha. If you wake up in the middle of the night, most parents have taught you to choose cereal or sandwiches to hold you over to the morning, not Papa Johns. At all hours, Spelman students can be seen outside waiting for their food to be delivered, and at first it was a culture shock but now I am used to it.
It must be kept in mind however that Spelman doesn’t have a 24-hr cafeteria like some other schools, students aren’t allowed refrigerators in their rooms for the most part, the only choice usually is fast food, that is the only thing I believe Spelman can be held accountable for, its lack of healthy choices in the cafeteria and after the cafeteria closes. Other than that, Spelman can only do so much to make their students want to go to the gym despite how small it is, they can only do so much to make their student athletes dedicated and serious about the various sports they are involved in, which for the most part, they are not, and they can only do so much to try and get student s involved about their health issues like TATOO or whatever the group for fighting obesity is called on campus.
In reference to the statement, “The illustrious institution of Spelman College, claims they are striving for a healthy campus, but they do not focus on the health of their students.” As a resident of the new dorm, Spelman has taken rather big steps to improve the standard of living for the occupants of the dorm. We have a 24hr gym (they said it was 12 hrs but people use it at all hours), we have refrigerators in the rooms that can provide the option of not going to the caf! I go to the caf like once or twice a week now, and sometimes not even that. This is a major step from the living conditions I faced in Abby Hall last year. I had limited access to a refrigerator and I had a ridiculous offering of sports equipment that didn’t work most of the time in the basement. The new dorm can only house so many people, but at the end of the day, it’s a step. It is my belief, that Spelman is doing their part, mind you they could play a better part, but at least they are doing their part, it’s time for Spelman students to take responsibility for their own health, and EXERCISE! This is not a problem just at Spelman, this is a problem throughout America’s society.
The freshman 15 has happened to many students, but not to all students. Students make the choice to consume unhealthy foods. Spelman has tried several initiatives that cater to students and healthy living. The hours in the wellness center have fluctuated constantly because students do not take advantage of the services. Spelman is not responsible for students not taking advantage of their resources. Wellness has been trying to build a new facility for years, but will not be allotted the funds because students do not use its services. Why put money into something that the students do not take advantage of? Spelman provides us with various choices for food and they can not force us to make the healthy choices. The cafeteria does not have to be the best for students to make the best choices.
Destinee Moore
Pruitt makes a good point. Spelman's cafeteria does not offer the best choices when it comes to healthy options, however they have gotten MUCH better. When I entered Spelman three years ago, the vegan line was limited, the salad bar was skimpy, and variety was non-existent. Each year, the food has gotten progressively better because students have made complaints and lobbied the administration.
To blame the "freshman 15" phenomenon on Spelman's athletics department is also fallacious. Yes Spelman and Agnes Scott are both division three schools, however Agnes Scott receives much more funding and support from its community for athletics. The athletics department cannot be held responsible for people who choose not to become members of teams. The Wellness Center is open just about everyday and available for anyone who desires to make use of it. Students should stop pointing fingers and own up to their poor diet and exercise habits.
shaunicie fielder
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