you are what you eat

So. . .this was my first deliberative declamation (for those who don't know, it's a speech in front of the whole freshman class, and the upperclassmen who are brave enough to risk the wrath of Mr. Wilson by sneaking in). Imagine it being read just a little too quickly with a precious-moments pose (not on purpose, it's like a nervous tick to fold my hands), and you'll have a pretty decent idea of how it went. Personally, I was just impressed that I didn't cry. Nate Wilson (the professor) is scarier than you might think.

"She seemed frazzled cramming her groceries onto the conveyer, quickly, jerkily: seemingly accustomed to being pressed for time. I noticed her cart, piled with Hot Pockets and Eggos. Our purchases were diametrically opposed: I bought bulk, she bought boxed.

This wasn’t an isolated incident, but one more in a long line of occurrences that made me believe the maxim: you are what you eat.

Many WinCo customers load their carts with quick fixes: pre-sliced carrots and canned soup; so it comes as no surprise that when they’re checking out, they’re as anxious to get done as their stomachs are to be filled. When someone doesn’t have the patience to cook a meal, can we expect of them the patience to wait in line? When a student won’t wake up in the morning to fry some eggs, is it logical to expect them to be a diligent scholar?

I perfectly understand that you’re busy, but part of being a dilsciplined student is scheduling time for a healthy lifestyle—including eating well. It gives you more energy (and consequently, more time) than loading your system with processed carbohydrates. Also, cooking works like exercise: it allows your mind to rest without being idle, which lowers your stress level. If in doubt, compare the price-per-ounce of rice in bulk to Rice-a-Roni: you’ll be astounded at how much they’re charging for seasoning salt.

Next time you’re at the store, don’t get swallowed up in the frozen foods section: let your diligence guide you out of box land, and into the paradise of whole ingredients."