So, these are supposed to be the “best years of your life”. You’ve made it into one of your top choices and everyone tells you how much you will enjoy every minute of college. Except you don’t. What no one talks about openly is that college can be a very stressful time too. There is the academic pressure, of course, but there is also social pressure to “fit in” and appearance pressure to “look a certain way”. Plus, you may be feeling homesick on top of it all.
This is when many young women turn to food and exercise as a way to try to feel in control when everything else in their life feels stressful. Sure, you may not be able to guarantee you will get an “A” on the Biology exam, but you can certainly make sure you stay below your calorie limit for the day.
Since you probably will be living in a dorm, you will also likely notice many of the women around you are dieting, spending long hours at the gym, or worrying about whether their jeans “make them look fat”. This, of course, only draws your attention to your own body making you feel more self-conscious. You start paying more attention to your appearance–and everyone else’s too. Selective attention means as now you are appearance conscious you will likely notice every single person who is thinner, prettier, or more stylish than you as you make your way across campus.
Then, there is the cafeteria. The cafeteria can seem overwhelming with so many foods to choose from. Of course, none of the food is the comforting food you used to eat at home with your family. Trying to navigate the cafeteria and figure out what to eat can be truly anxiety-provoking. If you eat with large groups of people, you may also worry about others noticing what you eat. This can often result in choosing a “safe” option like salad or cereal for every meal. For others, the cafeteria provides access to foods that can be binged on later in private.
While dieting and appearance struggles are unfortunately all too common on college campuses, these behaviors can prove very risky for a young woman who strives for perfection. The same perfectionistic temperament that led to both academic success in high school and entry to a strong college puts young women at very high risk for developing an eating disorder. In addition, both bulimia and binge eating disorder tend to start around age 18. So, even for women not on a college campus, this can be a risky time period in life.
The good news is that eating disorders are much more easily treated in the early stages. If you or someone you know is developing an eating disorder while in college, now is the time to get treatment. Many colleges have medical resources or support groups available right on campus. Colleges also typically keep lists of therapists in the local community who specialize in treating eating disorders.