Did you get fat during freshers?

A recent survey has revealed that the average fresher will gain between 14 and 28lb in their first year.

For most, freshers week flashes by in a blur of vodka, kebabs, sex and culinary disasters. So is it really a surprise that so many students are gaining weight?

With only a crash course in the basics from Mum or Dad under your belt, a lot of us are pretty clueless when it comes to the kitchen. Cost, ease and speed of cooking are often prioritized over healthy eating.

Suddenly there is no one pushing you to eat your 5 a day or stocking the fridge with healthy foods. Take-aways and microwave meals become the norm. Of course, it would be silly not to make the most of the free cheeseburger you can get with your student card when you buy a meal at Maccies.

The lack of regularity in meals and late night snacking are among the biggest contributors to weight gain.

Joseph Till, 21, English

“I still like to get my three meals a day even if that means breakfast at 4pm and dinner at 2am. I was more worried about losing weight than gaining it as I couldn’t afford good food for proper meals.

“I’ve found that buying fruit and veg from the markets is a much cheaper way to eat healthily.”

Talia Williams,18, soon to be fresher

“I’m worried about gaining weight when I move because I don’t have very good cooking skills, so I’ll probably eat loads of junk food because it’s simpler to make.

“Also healthy foods are so much cheaper than fatty foods making them more accessible when you’re trying to budget.”

Lewis Reeves, 19, Business

“When I first came to Uni I literally couldn’t cook even the simplest of things. My flat mates even had to show me how to boil pasta. So my diet was 90% oven food for most of the year.”

Roxy Richardson, 19, Law 

“I started Uni determined not to put on any weight at all, to eat healthily and exercise regularly, which I stuck to for the most part.

“I even trained and completed a half marathon which meant going to the gym three times a week.

“But the reality is alcohol has so many secret fats and sugars you don’t realise how much it effects your weight. Fatty foods are so much cheaper than healthy ones too.

“So despite my efforts to fight weight gain Uni won and I gained a stone.”

Roisin Mcloughlin, 19, Art 

“I worked late night shifts at Domino’s after Uni which meant I would sleep in until around 4pm, have a coffee and two or three biscuits then go to work again at 5pm.

If I finished work around 12, I would cook but most of the time I’m too tired and have a bowl of cereal instead. My weight wasn’t really affected but it definitely wasn’t good for my health.”

Raj Kotecha, 20, Pharmacy

“I think people forget about the amount of calories in alcohol, so you need to know your limits.

“Since finishing first year I’ve been on the Paleo diet. I’m starting to lose some of the weight I gained and I feel much healthier.”

Emma Bartley, 20, Journalism

“Gaining weight never really crossed my mind at the start of the year. During freshers I cooked for myself a lot but as the year went on I started eating out more and ordering food, it’s just so easy.”

Roma-Jay Mason,18, Film Studies

“I find shopping for myself really hard because I’m a very fussy eater and used to my Mum stocking the fridge for me.

“I literally live off pasta because it’s all I can be bothered to cook, working in a bar also makes it hard to have set meal times, so I find myself picking through the day and always buying chips on my way home after a shift.”