Ian Vicnansky stood on the Plaza of the Americas on Wednesday afternoon with a plate full of fruit and yogurt after learning about how to live a healthy lifestyle in college.
“It’s all about taking initiative,” the 19-year-old UF exploratory engineering freshman said as he munched on a piece of honeydew.
Student Government’s Health Affairs Cabinet hosted the Freshman 15 Wellness Fair to promote a healthy lifestyle among students. The event offered information about on-campus resources students can take advantage of, including UF’s Department of Recreational Sports, GatorWell and the Gator Youth Fitness Movement, said Nidhi Kalva, the director of the cabinet.
“Freshman year is tough,” the UF business sophomore said, adding that the goal was to inform students about the resources they’re already paying for with student fees.
Within the first hour of the event, more than 200 students had stopped by, Kalva said.
She said the fair, which was funded by SG, cost about $1,000 to put on. After filling out a questionnaire and talking to representatives from UF organizations that were tabling at the event, students were offered fruit and vegetables to eat.
Kalva said she felt it was important to host the event early in the year to help college student make healthy eating and fitness decisions, especially at a time when the risk of developing eating disorders is high.
Student Life division chair Rachna Sannegowda stopped by the event to grab a plate of fruit before her biomedical instrumentation midterm exam.
“Freshman 15 is real,” the 20-year-old UF biomedical engineering junior said. “College students are stressed,” she said, before heading to the library to prepare for her exam.
Lucas Zhou, 19, said he found out about RecSports’ Center for Outdoor Recreation and Education, which offers students scheduled adventure trips, at the event. He said it was something he is looking forward to participate in.
“I actually learned something new,” the UF information systems sophomore said. “You can take classes to learn how to build fire, make shelter — survival skills.”
UF health education senior Tala Rizkallah, 21, and UF communication sciences and disorders senior Michelle Saade, 21, check out health-oriented pins at the GatorWell table at the Freshman 15 Wellness Fair on the Plaza of the Americas on Wednesday afternoon.
