Fear of the Freshman 15 is not the only reason new students are thinking about food.
The University chose Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma for this year's Penn Reading Project, for which freshmen are assigned a book to read over the summer.
The book tracks different meals from their start on the farm to their finale on the dinner table - everything from a hunter's catch to a McDonald's meal.
In 464 pages, Pollan examines the political, economic and psychological effects of the food people eat, such as consumers getting overwhelmed by having so many food options or overindulgence in unhealthy sweets.
This global analysis has prompted Penn to implement several food-related programs throughout the semester, including ones related to international cultures and social issues.
"We figured one thing everyone is always interested in is food," said David Fox, director of the Penn Reading Project and New Student Orientation.
"We'll be doing dinners and talks and trips and anything" else that has to do with the topic of food, Fox said.
School-wide events for September include local restaurant visits, a trip to a Mushroom Festival and a discussion about the Congressional farm bill, a bill reviewed every five to seven years that lays out ground rules for farmers.
Freshmen said they found the subject timely and important.
"After finishing it, you have a sense of urgency," said Menghan Fu, a freshman in the Life Sciences and Management program. "But there's not much you can do to immediately fix it."
Even those who didn't manage to finish the book had positive reviews.
Engineering freshman Eric Cohen said Pollan made "thought-provoking" points.
Oftentimes, food-related issues, like poverty and obesity, are viewed as too daunting to tackle.
Biology professor Scott Poethig noted that many students seemed hopeless about change in the food industry.
Poethig was part of a panel of professors that met in Irvine Auditorium and afterward led a smaller group discussion.
Students "seemed to think [the book] wouldn't have any large term impact," Poethig said.
Some of these issues may be resolved in the spring: The University is trying to get Pollan to make an on-campus appearance.
