Fat experiences

Yeah. I didn't actually gain much of anything in college.

My experience might have been atypical, because I never lived in a dorm room. That also meant no access to unlimited buffets, which might be more a meme that I suspect may not be grounded in reality, but perhaps more wishful thinking. Horny brain, maybe?

I lived in an apartment and bought food at the supermarket, like most folks.

It's true that a typical condition of a lease for a fast food joint on campus is that they must accept meal plans for dorm residents, which seems reasonable.

But at one local university (not my alma-mater), I learned from someone who did attend there, they do things a little differently. If someone only wants to use the meal plan, you're only limited to certain items and quantities. In fact, there was a lot of studying and engineering, if you will, in an attempt to get a much food as possible within that constraint. I don't recall the exact amounts but it would be very difficult, likely impossible to get fat that way.

I don't know how widespread that is, but I doubt that university is the only one.

And it's no secret that while the situation varies considerably, some students don't really have much money to spare.

Another phenomenon I remember noticing, at least in my area, at the time, was basically this. When the weekend arrived, you always have money for partying, even if sometimes it's not the cheapest thing.

I get it. I went to house parties like that a good bit when I was in high school and college. It's an experience unlike any other. It could get rowdy, blaring bad music and the beer was often the cheap stuff (Natural Light - "Natty" or Keystone), but there's nothing else quite like it. It's part of the quintessential college experience, and if you don't experience that, your experience isn't complete.

Even if you try to do it again with a bunch of friends in your 30s, 40s, 50s, it's just not the same. No, or at least a lot fewer crazy antics, the music isn't as loud, everyone taps out faster.

Then of course, once almost everyone in your peer group turns age 21, it's off to the bars, which of course is considerably more expensive.

But where am I going with this?

That's money you aren't spending on food.

I do recall one young woman who apparently gained from 120-125ish to around 175, which I only knew because she actually volunteered that information at one point. However, the personality clash meant there was no reason for me to try anything. I also recall she seemed like the uncommon exception, rather than the rule.