The Freshman 15 is an ages-old horror story, but is it real?

“I don’t believe it,” freshman Dylan Good said.

Good said that while people can gain weight their freshman year, gaining 15 pounds is probably unlikely.

According to a study conducted at Ohio State University, students usually only gained around 2.5 to 3.5 pounds, not the infamous 15.

The study also showed that “no more than 10 percent of college freshman gained 15 pounds or more,” meaning while it isn’t probable, it is in fact possible to gain that much weight.

“It’s definitely real,” senior Lauren Fleener said.

Fleener started her freshman year of college with knowledge of the Freshman 15 from her mom and older sister. She was even more cautious of the possible weight gain than most students due to her family’s history of diabetes. Fleener’s mother was diagnosed with diabetes in her late 30s.

“I’ve been trying to avoid it for a really long time,” Fleener said. “And I still don’t have it.”

The possibility that gaining weight could end up making someone diabetic has motivated Fleener to tell other people about the Freshman 15 and what it can do.

Dean of Students Cassy Bailey agrees with Fleener that the Freshman 15 is very real.

“My own experience was the freshman 20,” Bailey said.

Bailey said she relives college each year with her students, which is why she can still remember her own freshman year. Bailey moved far from her home in Texas when she went to school in Washington.

Bailey said that horrible food management and lack of exercise caused her weight gain.

“I ate soft-served ice cream morning, noon and night,” Bailey said.

She had never had the opportunity to eat it at every meal and decided to take advantage of it. Bailey also had “a big tub of peanut butter and chocolate icing” that she would eat while she was studying.

“And I didn’t exercise,” Bailey said. “I felt like walking to class was the only exercise I needed, which wasn’t true.”

Though they don’t agree on the amount, Good, Fleener and Bailey all agree that some causes for gaining weight are eating unhealthy foods, overeating, consuming sugary or alcoholic drinks, and getting little to no exercise.

To combat this, Fleener gives some simple advice.

“Just continue to be active,” Fleener said. “Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Don’t drive to class, walk to class. Take the long route.”

With the dread of the Freshman 15 also comes the issue of body image.

“Girls are definitely more self-conscious about their bodies,” Good said.

Both Fleener and Bailey agree with this.

“The women are much more observant about their weight than men,” Bailey said.

Bailey, as well as Fleener, attributed this to societal norms.

“Girls want to fit in and want to look good,” Fleener said. “Socially, women have always wanted to look better.”

Fleener thinks that the Freshman 15 is more of a woman’s issue more because women focus on their image and want to look a certain way due to the media and society.

“Guys don’t really care, I don’t think,” Fleener said. “Whereas it’s vocally said with women.”

Good agrees that men don’t care as much.

“I mean weight is weight and 15 pounds isn’t that big of a difference,” Good said.

While 15 pounds might not be that big a difference to men, it is to many women.

But Fleener and Bailey don’t want people to stress out too much about possible weight gain.

“Gaining weight is not always a bad thing,” Bailey said. “Don’t worry about the scale.”