There are often moments in life when something unexpected will throw you for a loop, and not often a good one. Last night I had one of those moments...

What is hard about such 'moments' is that when they happen, it's incredibly hard to take it in stride... at least as far as I am concernced. My automatic reaction is to be upset or to resort to bad coping mechanisms or to just completely shut down. I let these moments (wether expected or not) control my life until I find a way (not always a good way) to move on. However, last night I didn't have that problem. Now, this is a bit of a milestone for me... I was finally able to take this 'loop' in stride and take care of myself! I didn't get upset, I didn't hurt myself... I took a deep breath, a sip of my beer, and acknowledged that this one was out of my control. And although my stomach was sinking and all I wanted to do was break down, I challenged myself to keep my composure. I didn't do this to save my public image, but so that I could prove to myself that I can get through these moments of disappointment without hurting myself.

Now the challenge is what is important here... because the challenge is what keeps one motivated. I wanted to prove that I could beat my own odds! The challenge gives me a reason to fight; it gives me a competitive spirit that helps me to overcome the obstacles in my way. For the first time in a very long time, I challenged my better self againse my worse self... and in the end, my better self won. If I continue to do this... I could potentially not only beat the obstacles that catch me off guard but also the things that plague me everyday. I could get through these moments on my own, without the help of others, just like I did last night. I was speaking to a friend later about the incident and he said, "You will be okay, promise." He was right. I was okay; I was more than okay. I got through it all on my own without any affect on how I finished off my evening. In the end, although it may not feel like it at the time... you will be okay.

In conclusion, I'm going to continue to challenge myself to beat my own odds. Not only in moments that come out of the blue, but in general. I'm going to challenge myself to let my 'better person' win everytime I feel the disappointment or horror life sometimes brings. I'll let you guys know how it goes. You are my motivation to make this challenge successful after all.

"To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you" Tony Dorsett

ZINE

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FOOD LOGOS

This is my tracing project from a small sketch. I just got help from a friend to upload it.

Eating habits during first year of college crucial
Experts advise having regular meal schedule, limiting alcohol
By Ashley Kindergan - McClatchy Newspapers

http://www.ramapo.edu/digitalclips/docs/2008/10/Lawrence%20Journal_100408.pdf

This article talked a lot about weight gain in your first year of school, and what it can mean for the rest of your student career. It approaches it from a scientific point of view. It gives evidence of what habits trigger weight gain, and also how to avoid it. Talking both about longer term and short term affects. It speaks of the time inbetween eating... that if you wait five hours or more to eat you will get low blood sugar, which will then result in cravings for sugary foods. So, where most people who are trying to lose their "freshman 15" try to eat less frequently... eating more frequently but in small amounts has proven more effective. They also talk of how sleep deprivation causes an over production of the hormone ghrelin, which causes feelings of hunger. Overall, the article gave me more insight in to the scientific side of food cravings in college students, and what causes it.



College Students Don't Practice Safe Eating Habits (Even When They Think They Do) - New Study
by Regan Zambri & Long

http://injurylaw.reganfirm.com/2008/04/articles/child-safety/college-students-dont-practice-safe-eating-habits-even-when-they-think-they-do-new-study/

This article took a different approach to college eating habits. Instead of speaking of the weight gain, it spoke of the safety hazards of college eating habits. Reporting that 53% of students eat raw cookie dough, 33% eat fried eggs with soft or runny yolks, 29% eat sushi, and 28% consume raw sprouts, 11% eat raw oysters, clams or mussels, and 7% eat pink hamburger. Overall this isnt about eating more or less, its about eating safely... something I hadn't considered. It also says that the white male is more likely to eat raw or undercooked food... which I found very interesting. This article gave me an altogether new way to look at college eating habits. Instead of just considering what is healthy and what is not, I canconsider what is safe.