Saturday, May 25, 2013

The Freshman Fifteen

Day 25, Saturday: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad).

When I went home for Thanksgiving my first year of college, a family member remarked on my gaining the "freshman fifteen," and I'll never forget how mortified I was.

I had been the "skinny" girl for my entire life up until that point. Something about the combination of having a slender body type, daily cheerleading practices, stress, lack of sleep, and a youthful metabolism had allowed me to eat whatever I wanted, any time I wanted, while never gaining a single pound. But then I was introduced to dining hall food, excessive alcohol consumption, and the realization that when you stop exercising, your body tends to react negatively.

In my defense, here is a photo of me at the end of high school:


And here is one taken around the time the "freshman fifteen"comment was made:


So yeah, maybe I had put on a couple pounds. But was it honestly enough to remark on, especially to an extremely young, impressionable college girl? Luckily, I came down with mono by Christmas and that took care of any extra weight and then some (at least for the time being), but that comment has always stuck with me. It's made me think that everyone is always looking at me, watching my weight fluctuate up and down (as it tends to do these days), and judging.

I'm sure my family member didn't mean anything by it at the time, other than to make a casual joke (I think it was accompanied by a pinch to my waistline), but it really hurt, and I've remembered it ever since.    

9 comments :

  1. People can be so rude sometimes...weight is just something people should never comment on (even if it's family!). Personally I think gaining a few pounds in college is proof that you're living it up like you should be! :)

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  2. Regardless who says that? Sometimes people just don't realize. Or I hate when people say things like- you look tired. Ummm thanks?!

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  3. One of my favorites is "Oh my g-d! You look like crap - are you okay?" There I was thinking I looked alright, put together and was having a great day. Suddenly I've been hit by a mack truck. Oh people - sometimes you have no common decency. I think even with the "freshman 15" you were still perfectly healthy. Goodness.

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    1. Totally... that's the worst! Or when people are like, "You look tired today," which essentially translates into "You look like crap today." Jeez, people can be callous sometimes!

      Thanks for stopping by my blog!

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  4. That is a horrible thing to say to anyone, let alone an impressionable young girl! You look pretty healthy to me!

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  5. That was a mean comment! I honestly can't see a difference between the two pictures.

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  6. I so understand how comment like that really can hurt--and that they stick with you over the years. People don't realize how powerful words are, sometimes.

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  7. Um rude! I think you're exceptionally pretty in both pictures! It's rough when people say things without thinking and don't realize the lasting effects it might have on us.

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    1. Aw, well thank you for saying so. :-) Sometimes people just don't think before they speak, I suppose...

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