Reporter
Being that March is three months after January, the month that kicks off New Years’ resolutions, it’s an interesting time to see if students have remained true to their resolutions and are taking their nutrition seriously.
Some CSU Bakersfield students take their nutrition very seriously in order to remain in shape and be as healthy as they can possibly be.
Senior English major Janelle Reed tries to make healthy choices when eating out or cooking for herself.
“I never eat on campus, but I do typically grab food on my way home from class if I’m not planning on cooking lunch for myself,” said Reed. “I’ll get Panera, a bowl from Chipotle, or a salad from Sequoia, things like that.”
Reed finds making nutritious choices important and does so whether she’s eating out or in.
“I do love pizza, though. I also can’t say ‘no’ to Dewar’s,” Reed said.
Junior Michael Crews isn’t too serious about nutrition, but he does think about it.
“While the campus does have fresh fruit options in the library and the cafe, along with plenty of water, I think they could always provide more options to students,” Crews said. “I think having more fruit available in bulk would be nice on campus.”
Having options such as more fruit available on campus would give students a greater chance to make more nutritious choices while they’re at school.
“The lack of sandwich and soup available for those who attended dinner pre-new dorms is pretty sad. I think the Sandwich Shack is the most popular on campus primarily because their options are healthier and more affordable than most other options,” Crews said.
Students should let the national month of nutrition and stories like senior Aaron Craighill’s motivate them to take their nutrition seriously and be aware of their bodies’ needs in the midst of the stress and exhaustion that can culminate from a college education.
Craighill learned about the perils of unhealthy nutrition the hard way.
“I thought that I would be smart, and I set my school schedule for the spring to go nonstop from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. two days a week, with only 10 minute breaks in between,” said Craighill. “I did this because I live two hours away from Bakersfield, and I figured that I might as well spend the time getting classes done.”
Craighill has diabetes, a disease that demands stability, small meals throughout the day, enough sleep, and proper care – all of which are staples of being nutritious.
“I would grab McDonald’s, a large coffee, and a diet Rockstar for the drive over, and I would eat chips between classes. After my last class, it would be fast food and more coffee for the drive home,” explained Craighill.
Because of his poor nutrition and the strain of a long day of class before and after a two hour drive home, Craighill ended up with Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which means that his body began eating all of his muscle, instead of breaking down the food he ate, as it should in nutritious person.
“I was in the ICU for four days, a total hospital stay of a week. Because I did not pay attention to nutrition, by feeling that I was too busy too strong, and too stressed to worry about what I put into my body, I now have possible permanent nerve and muscle damage,” said Craighill. “There is a possibility that I will lose my foot.”
It’s a given that college-aged students either take their nutrition seriously or they’re generally just too busy and stressed to think about making nutritious choices, which can be detrimental as in the case of Craighill’s.
