[E]ver since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated with health and fitness. At the tender age of eight, one of my greatest pleasures was waking up early before school and working out with the fitness shows on television. Yes, I was a strange child, but a passionate one.
As I grew older, I learned that nutrition is the foundation of our health. We must build a strong foundation if we want our bodies to be sturdy and strong. I have spent years reading about nutrition and developing a love for the art of eating well. Despite my overwhelming passion, it only occurred to me in recent years that I could base my career around such a thing. I then realized that this was what I wanted to do with my life. In short, I want to be a dietitian.
Of course, becoming a dietitian is not exactly a walk through the park. It requires schooling, and that can be pricey. My first college experience was expensive, to say the least. Though I received help from my parents, the financial burden eventually became too much, and the experience was, disappointingly, cut short.
After a few years of regrouping, and realizing that I could make a living doing what I love, I have taken the necessary steps to return to school. It has been a bit of a balancing act as I am now an adult, living on my own, paying my way through life. Even less prepared to pay for school than my parents were ten years earlier, I have found it to be my greatest challenge. For the past year, I have been living the life of a full-time student, as well as, a full-time adult. Being a 30-year-old student is a far cry from being a 21-year-old in the same boat. All-night study sessions are a lot more difficult when you have to be at work the next morning, and sure, that ten-page paper is due on the first, but so is rent. Somehow I have managed to pay the bills, buy my books, and keep my grades up all at the same time.
With one year left to go, I am proud of how far I have come. Graduating with a nutrition degree will finally give me the chance to practice what I love. It will finally give me a chance to pursue my passion and spread that passion to others. I am excited at the thought of finally earning my degree, but I am also excited at the thought of walking out of college with the knowledge and training to do my job well. I plan to approach the next chapter of my life with the passion and enthusiasm with which I have always approached everything. Like an 8-year-old working out to “Body by Jake” before school, I will love every minute of it!
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