It has been awhile since I blogged but I left off getting ready to visit a couple of my high school friends who now work at the state student council camp for high schoolers. This is a one week long camp that takes place in Fulton at William Woods University focusing on leadership and those types of things. While in high school I attended this camp and each time I go back I realize how much I have changed since then.
The camp is a great experience and I am surprised how many people I met at camp whom I still keep in contact with (even though I went to camp 6 yrs ago). It was kind of weird going back and seeing the adult advisors who are still there. They haven't seemed to change much expect maybe a few more gray hairs. The energy that makes MASC is still there going strong. I forgot how in high school everything seems doable and you feel as if you really can change the world. The kids I saw at the camp were determined to not let anything stand in their way and were determined to have a good time. They didn't care that they were dressed funny or singing silly songs, they just went with it and had fun.
I wonder sometimes if I have lost my fun crazy side. It may still be here somewhere but in medical school I don't feel like there are a lot of times where I can bring it out from hiding. Yes there are good times, don't get me wrong but that is normally going out to a bar with classmates to celebrate the end of a test week. I was going to write about an example of what spontaneous fun activity I haven't done in awhile but now I can't think of anything. We used to do a lot of stupid silly things bu. I will have to work on that.
This week marks the completion of 25% of my summer community nutrition course. That is good and bad at the same time. The class is interesting because it is about developing and implementing community programs that have to due with nutrition. It isn't teaching us how many calories you should eat or how many fruits and veggies you should eat. I was surprised to learn that in Missouri the food stamp program (now called S.N.A.P. for supplemental nutrition assistance program) only gives $76.01 per person per month. That boils down to only about $2.52 per person per day. It is hard to obtain the recommended nutritional needs with this little amount to cash. There are other assistance program available such as food pantries but Missouri pays the lowest of all the states in regards to food stamps. It isn't even like 5 dollars less, most other states give at least $90 per person per month. I embarrassed for the state when I learned this.
There are so many issues out there that effect the people of the state how do you just pick one? For me I picked tobacco issues because that is what I am most passionate about. However, I still think it is important to recognize that Missouri's food stamps program has room for change but honestly I don't have enough time to devote to that change. I think most people are like that. They see an issue, think it is tragic, but since they aren't directly effected it is easy to just shake your head and go on. People don't have enough time or resources to devote to all the issues they disagree with. I am not saying that people can't make a difference on an issue, they can and do make changes and make a difference. The difference though is only for one program or issue, not all of the issues they are concerned about.
I don't know where I was going with that but I am at the lake so I am going to get ready to go out on the water. Meg
RSS Feed
