My Journey Through Graduate School So Far...

I've officially completed my first 2 classes of the MPH program at California Baptist University. It was difficult at some points but, overall, worth it. One of the most important things I learned in my program planning class was that educating someone about certain topics (sexual education, nutrition, alcohol, etc.) won't do a darn thing. I know how bad alcohol is for me and I still consume it. I know french fries aren't good for me, but I eat them anyways. You can tell a smoker that cigarettes are bad for them, but they continue to smoke. I can name theories that describe my process of thinking when it comes to my consumption of those In-N-Out french fries but that would be pointless. 

Basically, my whole mindset has to change. I thought that educating people about things was the most important way to get a person to practice safe sex or not do drugs or alcohol, but that's not even half of it.  You have to get them to make a behavior change. Wait, what? You mean, you can't just tell a person that cigarettes are bad for them and assume they will quit smoking forever? Scare tactics, public speakers, and health fairs don't work either. Oh, the things you learn in graduate school.

I am not an expert, but I definitely learned a lot in my class. 

The other class I took during the first 8 weeks of grad school was a human nutrition class. It was terrible. Enough said.

Fall semester starts in September and I cannot be more excited to learn and take another step towards obtaining my master's degree. I'll keep you updated about my journey through graduate school as well as my internship with Alvord Unified School District as a health educator and horticulturalist.

Something I thought was hilarious: