Dear future college freshman,

While the idea of keeping a healthy lifestyle throughout your future college years is the most ideal concept and may sound like a walk in the park right now, it is much harder than you think. Yes, the gym is just a hop and a skip down the road from your dorm. Yes, you have complete control over what you eat every day. Sounds like the perfect recipe for the perfect college lifestyle but you forgot one important thing - your lack of time. College is going to be so stressful if you don't give yourself a reality check before it is too late so let me help you figure out how to balance your life and understand that it is so much harder than you think.

While the gym might be right next to your dorm, let me remind you that time is never on your side in college. You are thrown so may exam dates and assignment deadlines that you are too busy trying to figure out your classes that you forget to tie in your hour for the gym. I want to let you know that this is perfectly okay. You don't need to go to the gym every other day and still study all the time because when will you have time to be a college freshman and have the experiences you came to college for.

Let me tell you something, you will have plenty of time in your next years at college to be active and healthy, enjoy your freshman year and spend time with your new friends as much as you can. I am not saying don't go to the gym but don't make it the highest priority and forget to go out sometimes and be with friends. One thing I have learned is that going to the gym with your friends once or twice a week is the perfect balance because you get to socialize and be with your new friends while also getting in a little workout at the same time just to keep your body in check.

The next advice I am going to give you is the MOST important,

Freshman fifteen is SO REAL.

Do not forget this and think that it is not real. Those dining halls might sound like an awesome place to eat for the first week or two of college but it gets old eating burgers and pizza all the time. Learn how to balance your eating. While yes this is extremely harder than it sounds, it is very important. Eating healthy in college is by far the biggest struggle because universities do not accommodate for a healthy lifestyle. Don't only eat at the salad bar just to attempt to eat healthily but make sure to add healthy choices to main meals. Instead of having fries with your burger get some fruit or a side salad. Sometimes eating healthy is not even an option because you may get done with studying for an exam after all the dining halls close and may only have that packet of ramen in your room to eat.

EAT THE RAMEN and just be happy.

Eating ramen won't kill you just don't make it an every night occasion.

While staying healthy and active in college is so much harder than you can possibly imagine, don't let the idea of being fit control your experiences in college. You will have time to use that expensive gym that you're paying so much money for, I promise. Just when it comes down to going out to the movies with friends or going to the gym because its leg day, ALWAYS go to the movies because which one will you remember more in the long run?