Week 1/21: Semester Reflection

Describe the most memorable experience you have had this semester in regards to the Honors Mentorship Program?

My most memorable experiences (couldn't narrow it down to one!!)...

1) Anytime I learned something new! Brendon was always eager to teach not just interns, but the patients, too! He would often have me bring out different fragments of the skeleton models in the office so he could explain a particular stretch, movement, or injury. This helped give me a visual of my dad's limited movement from his shoulder surgery. 

2) Funny interactions with the patients! From working the same office hours every week, I   was able to grow relationships with the regular patients. One man (one of my faves) always showed me pictures on his phone of his daughters on their wedding day or some funny meme. He joked around with everyone and made my days brighter!

What was the biggest lesson learned during your first semester of your
mentorship experience?

My biggest lesson was about professionalism in general. I learned great people skills,
communication skills, business promotion, etc. I've definitely grown from my experience at
BIG Physical Therapy. I feel better prepared for "the real world"...or at least college! 

How will you use this experience in the future? How has this experience
changed your view of learning?

I'll certainly use this experience to help me decide my future career. To be honest, I'm not
sure if physical therapy is the route I would like to take. However, my mentorship has gotten
my gears turning and made me question what I would truly enjoy doing for a living.  

I've always believed that knowledge is power. This mentorship has shown me how
knowledge can increase your credibility, opportunities, and problem solving abilities.

How has it changed your view of the career area in which you are mentoring?

Physical Therapy is a lot less...physical...than I had anticipated. I thought there would be far
more sweating and activity involved like a gym atmosphere. Instead, I've found that there is 
a lot of laundry, paperwork, socialization, and stretching. I know that I would strive better
from a more active career.

Week of 1/13: Project Planning

Holy cow! I've got to tell you, I'm a tad bit overwhelmed. Sleep, school, tennis, homework, health...it is hard to balance everything.  The end of the year is approaching fast which means I have to get focused on my big presentation for HMP! This planning should definitely help me begin my final project...

What is driving my research?

My passion for nutrition is driving my research! My favorite thing is finding a delicious recipe made from surprising (and surprisingly healthy) ingredients...like my healthy blueberry pancakes made with cottage cheese. They taste naughty but they're packed with protein and plenty of nutrients. I love to nourish my body with unprocessed foods and enjoy introducing different "super foods" like carob, cacao nibs, flax seed, goji berries, acai powder, and chia seeds. By doing this, I hope to help my body operate at its highest potential. I'd like to know more about how my body uses nutrients and what nutrients I need to live a long, healthy life.


What is my current essential question?

My current essential question is "How does nutrition impact one's overall health?" and has not changed. This question covers the following:
-What nutrients does the body need? 
-How do these nutrients affect the body's functioning?
-What happens when we don't get enough of or get too much of these nutrients?
-How can we ensure we get enough nutrients in order to ensure good health?

Other than the required website, what other tools do I envision to best show case my project?

I envision charts and many visuals such as food and an interactive power point. 
-Charts to easily display nutrients and their benefit to your body. 
-Food to compare nutrient density of different meals.
-Interactive power point to share my information in a fun way.

What will I do for my "real inquiry?"

I'm thinking an interview and a survey could really enhance the quality of my research. An expert in nutrition could really help me clarify my findings and a survey can address the general lack of knowledge about nutrition.