I am a hypocrite for writing this column.

However, it’s been something I have been thinking about a lot lately, and something I have been trying to improve on. I see a lot of people my age dealing with this, and I think it’s important we have a bit of wake-up call.

I constantly see tweets and Facebook posts about how it’s “funny” and “quirky” to only drink iced coffee instead of eating lunch, dinner or any food at all. There’s so many memes about being shaky and anxious because the only thing you consume in a day is coffee.

Sometimes this happens because we are too busy to stop and eat, sometimes we feel anxious and need to get something in our stomach, sometimes coffee just sounds good — but this isn’t normal, despite what you may see on your Twitter timeline.

Our bodies need more than sugar, caffeine and coffee to run effectively and be healthy. Especially as college students, some of us are still growing and we have a lot to do in a day: classes, events, homework, clubs and other commitments. We need energy to do all of this, and if you don’t eat enough, you won’t be able to do it all and be at your best.

Social media has glorified this, when in fact, not eating right isn’t “unique” or “cool”; it can turn into disordered eating, and maybe more serious complications and disorders down the line. These habits can quickly manifest themselves in other ways when it comes to eating and nutrition, so they should be taken seriously. It’s not something to brag about or be proud of.

Joking about these behaviors not only validates this behavior to others, but normalizes and encourages it. It may seem harmless to you to make a meme about how little you eat and how Starbucks is your main source of food intake, but for a lot of people it’s an indication of something that is wrong physically and/or mentally.

So check in on your friends who you know are overexerting themselves. Ask them to go get lunch or a bite to eat and catch up. If someone checks in and asks if you’ve eaten, don’t immediately shut them down, they are just trying to help and they’re asking because they care about your own well-being. 

So if you’re reading this, and only have iced coffee in your stomach, please go get something to eat. Your body and mind will thank you.