Welcome to DU, where a trip to the gym seems out of your way but a visit to Illegal Pete’s fits your schedule perfectly. Where the dining halls’ chicken nuggets always seem to overshadow the salad bar and where you’ll walk all the way to Downing Street for a mediocre party but not for a produce run. College is an adjustment—no one’s gonna remind you to eat your vegetables and PE is no longer a graduation requirement—but it doesn’t have to lead to an adjustment in your pant size. Freshmen, do whatever you want this year. But if you want to avoid gaining those extra pounds you keep hearing about, stick to these tips.

GET BUZZED, NOT BULGING

College is really the only time in life when you can go out and drink upwards of four times a week without your loved ones staging the obligatory intervention; still, you need to know your limits to keep yourself safe and sexy. Consider this: one of those red solo cups of frat party beer has about 150 calories in it, so drink in moderation and alternate alcohol with water to get that blissful buzz without the extra bulge.

STOCK UP ON HEALTHY SNACKS

If you have bad food, you’re going to eat bad food. You know that sleeve of Oreos stashed in your desk drawer? The second you feel that unavoidable college roller coaster of emotions—stress, boredom, homesickness—you won’t be able to eat just one, you’ll eat the whole thing without a second thought. So stock your mini-fridge with healthy but satisfying snacks; hummus with carrots, apples with peanut butter, cheese and popcorn will all keep your hunger at bay and your waist well within your jeans.

CAFETERIA 101

The dining hall can be your friend or foe; yes, there are nutritious options, but they’re often overshadowed by the plethora of other, less healthy ones. For breakfast, oatmeal topped with fruits and nuts will start your day off right; and you can never go wrong with an omelet if you have time to endure the long line. For later meals, if you can’t spot a well-balanced meal among the pizza, fries or dessert platter, the salad bar is a great way to load up on nutrients; just watch out for dressings that can negate your conscious eating—oil and vinegar is always a safe option. You can also ask the chef on-duty to grill you a piece of chicken so you can incorporate some un-smothered, un-breaded protein.

GET MOVING

It’s hard to find the time and commitment to regularly attend the gym. The walk just from Halls to the Ritchie Center feels excessive and the walk from JMAC is practically a stand-alone workout. But one of the perks of attending DU is full access to the Ritchie Center, because if you don’t prescribe to the boring treadmill and weights regiment,  it offers plenty of fun classes and access to the pool that allow you to sneak in exercise without feeling like you’re actually working out. And for the days that you can’t make the Ritchie Center trek, you can still do situps, pushups and other simple but dynamic workouts within the confines of your dorm room.