The dreaded “Freshman 15.” Those extra pounds every 18 year-old seems to put on when going away to college for the first time don't have to be an inevitability. Follow the simple guidelines below and make your first year away and not only avoid the extra weight, but lay the groundwork for a healthier life well past grad school.

Buy or rent a fridge for your room, and fill it with healthy snacks. In college you will be up late, pulling all-nighters. You will get hungry, and the only place open when you are won't be serving kale salads drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette and chia seeds. To avoid settling for the 2 AM Three Musketeers bar from the machine down the hall, keep your dorm room's fridge stocked with fresh fruits, nuts and granola bars.

Learn a new sport. A whopping percentage of athletes in your school's intramural program never played the sport before showing up on campus. Join the Ultimate Frisbee, Surfing, Rugby, Fencing or Sailing Clubs if you really want to weed out the students who may have had a lot of experience. You will meet new people, stay active, and create new goals.

Beware the pitfalls of your school's “all you can eat” meal plan. Just because that dessert is “free” doesn't mean you should eat it, let alone loading up your plate with three of them. And while in your school's dining hall, be bold. Don't be afraid to ask whomever is putting your meal together to go heavy on the veggies, or lighter on the butter and cream cheese.

If you haven't learned to love coffee before, you will once you are in college. The latest scientific studies that show how coffee lowers prostate cancer risk, is good for your gut, and even extends your life may have taken some of that Downtown Bad Boy cachet away from the brew, but you can regain some of the edge by learning to drink it black. That way, you can be cool and avoid all the unnecessary sugarand fat.

Eat breakfast. It's good advice anytime, but especially during your first year at school. Skipping breakfast may not automatically lead to weight gain as once believed, but eating breakfast provides the blood sugar boost necessary for formulating the memory-enhancing neurotransmitter acetylcholine – which is what you will need for your first semester of college math.

Don't drink alcohol. This sounds crazy to members of most every previous college-going generation, but higher education need not mean higher inebriation. The trend among young people is away from alcohol and towards a healthier, sober lifestyle. So, have the guy behind the keg fill your red solo cup with sparkling water instead of cheap beer. You won't be alone, and you may even embolden the next student on line to make a healthier choice as well.

Hit the gym every day – with a friend. Almost all colleges offer free memberships to their (usually very well-appointed) gymnasiums, and you'd be a fool not to take advantage of it. To help you keep your appointment with Mr. Stairmaster, make a point of working out with a buddy. You will be less inclined to blow off your work-out if it risks disappointing another person.

Remember to get enough sleep. Freshman year will turn your schedule, not to mention your life, upside down. Your body needs between seven and nine hours of shuteye per night to function properly. Just figure out when you have to awaken to eat breakfast before your first class and count back seven hours; that's when you need to be asleep. You may think it'll all be okay, you'll catch up on lost sleep over the weekend, but sadly, it doesn't work that way. If your study habits prevent you from getting a full night's rest, look into sleeping during the daytime, and cover your dorm room windows with opaque.