During my journey to become a dietetics professional, I experienced many days that refused to go right for me. Following those frustrated, angered, and sleep-deprived times, there was only one choice: pull myself together and try, try again. Thanks to my experiences, education, and never-faltering support system, I am grateful to say that this journey has been a success.
I first became interested in nutrition as a track and cross-country runner in high school. As an undergraduate, my interests in fitness and nutrition grew simultaneously. I became very involved in the Department of Recreational Sports, obtained certifications in personal training and group exercise, and led a variety of group exercise classes during the week. I ultimately chose dietetics as a major because it represents my own lifestyle and provides a strong platform upon which to help me empathize with communities and individuals.
The importance of dietetics particularly struck me after talking with a group of adolescents about nutrition during their summer camp program at the YMCA. By this point, I had developed a vision of myself someday working as a dietitian in a clinical setting. When my supervisor asked if I would speak about nutrition to teenagers, I did not think this would help me progress towards my goal. Rather, I was terrified of children and imagined how they would look bored and ignore me. Although reluctant to commit, I eventually followed through and was surprised by the attentiveness of the children. Over the following weeks, several camp counselors told me how much of an impression I had left on their campers. The kids were choosing water over sugary beverages and rebuking their counselors’ fast food meals. They also looked for ways to increase their physical activity throughout the day.
What I had done for those young learners did not come full circle for me until 2013 when I completed my master’s degree. I spent much of my graduate experience working as a graduate assistant on an NIH-funded project aimed at reducing childhood obesity and improving the health of families and communities in Mississippi. “Teach the children so you don’t have to teach the adults” was a theme throughout the project. Talking with the kids at the YMCA proved to me that this could actually be done, even with a stereotypically “difficult” age group.
In the near future, I plan to improve my skills of sharing health and nutrition knowledge with communities as well as my own family and friends. I am exceptionally interested in fitness as well as the physiological role of food in the body. I find that when I share my passion for this type of information, others share some level of interest too.
Health, nutrition, and fitness are very personal to each individual. They affect the adolescent who can be the catalyst for change in their family’s eating habits. They can be a struggle for my neighbor who wants to try “juicing” to improve her lifestyle. They could mean nothing to my brother-in-law until he found himself in the hospital with severe gallbladder problems requiring multiple surgeries. I have spoken to many and inspired some to face their own health status. I have seen the difference a short talk can make for one child or how a large sum of money can improve a community. I witness daily the progress my peers make in the field of nutrition and I strive to achieve the same level of excellence. As a future dietitian, I am poised to become a leader and role model for nutrition and wellness issues, and I plan to implement my knowledge and skills to empower those around me.
