Hello,
a bit about me:
I am a dedicated nutrition student motivated by learning and healthy lifestyles. I'm committed to helping others by combining culinary and food science knowledge with interpersonal, organizational, and customer service skills.
Run, Heather! Run!
I was never big on running throughout my life. In fact, I hated it. Both my parents swam competitively for the majority of their lives, and I grew up just the same. In other words, very little land activity. Eventually, I also started playing volleyball like my older sister, but running was never an option in my mind... Not until last year. I got the crazy idea mid-July that I would challenge myself to achieve something far beyond my athletic comfort zone - run a half marathon.
Did it sound like something I would do? Probably not.
Did it sound like something I should do? Definitely not.
Did I do it anyway? You bet.
I started training every morning; waking up at 5:30 to run surely wasn't easy at first, but I eventually got to the point where I was running upwards of 5 miles each day. The more I trained, the more confidence I had, and the more friends I made along the way - all thanks to the sport that I was too afraid to try for 21 years of my life.
When the half marathon finally came around that November, I ended up surpassing my goal time by over 20 minutes! I couldn't believe my hard work had finally paid off, and all those early morning training sessions finally became worth it. Looking back on it, I absolutely cannot wait to do it again and maybe reach for more challenging distances in the future.
The Creative Dragon
Along with my major and minor concentrations, I've loved exploring my creative side at Drexel. I've taken various dance courses, such as Modern Dance, Hip Hop Dance, Traditional West African Dance, and Ballet Dance, and I've also taken an introductory piano course to revisit one of my favorite childhood pastimes.
Music has always been a focal point in my life, and being a senior, it's hard to find time outside of classes and work to enjoy some good live music and quality time with my family. I grew up listening to artists like Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd, and once I found the classic rock cover band scene, I was instantly hooked. My family and I frequently travel around the area to discover new bands and create more friendships with other classic rock lovers. You can find me anywhere from a big classic rock concert where headliners include The Who, Tom Petty, Yes, Toto, Boston, Van Halen, Steve Miller Band, Chicago, to anything in between.
I even took an Honors course at Drexel last summer titled "Writing About Rock Music," where I was able to write about and share my music experiences with others. Here is a short essay I wrote about my favorite song - "The Waiting" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and another short essay about how 90's music sounds to me:
My Favorite Song Essay
Sounds Like the 90's
Current Events
Unfortunately, very shortly after the New Year, I tore my right ACL and partially my meniscus playing in a volleyball tournament. As a result, this definitely hasn't been the senior year I've anticipated. With my Drexel Club Volleyball career coming to an abrupt end midway through my last season, being forced to unexpectedly cram my senior coursework around physician appointments and physical therapy, and trying to stay on track with dietetic internship applications before my ACL replacement surgery in early February, I'm lucky to have wonderful family and friends offering their help with daily activities. I never would've expected grocery shopping and doing the laundry to be some of my most difficult tasks at this time in my life.
In the end, this experience, along with every other setback I've endured, reiterates the importance of planning ahead and maintaining flexibility in my life. All I can do is keep trying my best to move forward and come out of this a better, stronger, more experienced woman.
