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Hey. Hi there.

Bienvenue. Arigatou. Hoş geldin! Välkommen, ciao. Welcome back to the blog, everyone.

It’s good to be back.

For those who are joining us for the first time, hello! I’m Beatrice, a Nutritional Sciences student here at the University of New Haven, concentrating in the Pre-Medical Sciences. While I originally wanted an article out a bit earlier, I figured that giving everyone time to settle in might be a good idea. So, go and grab some water; maybe swing by Jazzman’s and nab a coffee with a bagel, and get comfy.

It’s the start of the school year, people, and there is so much to do.

When I originally started writing for UNewHaven, I had no idea that I’d actually become a blogger as a result. As a researcher, I was more focused on documenting my discoveries and lab progression than I was telling everyone what my coffee order was (an almond milk latte with an extra shot of espresso and hazelnut syrup, hot). Writing was just something I enjoyed, as well as something that I found myself to be relatively good at. I never thought it would become everything serious.

Until it did.

I have officially been the blogger for UNewHaven for a year, and it’s been such a delight to have people ask not only if I’m continuing, but what’s in store for the upcoming months. Here, I strive to create a comfy-cozy environment for students that’s realistic, compassionate, and emphasizes what it is to be human. Students, faculty, staff, we’re all just people when you look at it. Each and every one of us has unique characteristics that make us who we are, as well as the life experiences, challenges, and successes we’ve engaged in over the course of a lifetime. Everyone’s body – your scars, acne, the folds and ripples of your skin, the tan lines – will differ. Not everyone’s life will look the same. How beautiful is that?

Because look at you!! You’re alive! You’re changing and growing, and you’re living! And doing! Ahhhh!!!

I haven’t even met you, and look at you go.

Marcus Aurelius, the author of Meditations, a philosophy book, for those who are curious (I recommend the Penguin Classic copy) offers a piece of advice I’ll never forget:

"Concentrate every minute like a Roman – like a man – on doing what's in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice."

Tend to your body like a temple. Do your assignments mindfully, and truly try to apply the material so that you may learn. Say the affirmations in the mirror even if you think you look stupid. Cry if you need to. Remember that love is always the better choice, even if it may not seem like it at the time (this is a lesson that has saved me from making several horrible decisions). Go about your life thoroughly. Meet new people, try new things, really challenge yourself to get out there and explore! There is so much to learn, to do, and that’s what you need to remember when things get hard.

But you don’t need me to tell you that, do you?

Hehe. Thought so.

Author grins, sipping her coffee and eating a cinnamon-raisin bagel with all the cream cheese.

“You’re allowed to be a human here. You’re also allowed to be a human everyday of your life, funnily enough, haha. It makes things a lot more real.”

Before I get too big-sister on everyone, I’d like to let everyone know that I do have a where you can read about my other stories, recipes, and adventures. (And feel free to comment. I love knowing what everyone has to say!). It’s definitely in the beginning stages, but it’s going to get somewhere (hopefully, lol).

Speaking of myself, there are so many stories to tell. I’ve mentioned a lot of them in past articles, which you can read more in-depth, if you’d like – so I’ll just summarize myself as briefly (an impossible task, really) as I’m able to.

Geez, where to start? Uh...hm. Well, I’m still Beatrice, and I’m still studying nutrition. I chose this major because it brought color into my life. Recovering from an eating disorder (which is still an active part of my life) taught me that there is so much more to life than food, and that food was never the enemy in the first place. Granted, this took a very long time for me to fully understand – and I doubt I still have a full understanding of it now – but the knowledge about nutrition and how healing it can be in the right applications gave my life a meaning I couldn’t throw away.

Of course, I had my negativities about it. Was it lucrative as a career? What could I really do with my degree? Was I sure I wanted to pursue this?

These questions were answered in the form of opportunity. I researched microplastics in the white tissue of fish to determine if it was possible humans were not only inhaling microplastic particles but also consuming them. Microplastics are also associated with select chemical compounds associated with chronic illnesses and disease; i.e. BPA-sourced plastics have been linked to the development of breast cancer in women due to their hormone-mimicking properties. Scary, no?

Then I started to blog, and now I’m the student social media manager-person for the Nutrition Department. I never thought I’d ever get to do anything like this in my life, and I love every second of it. I really, really do.

To my supervisors reading this, I love you guys so much. Thank you for letting me be the person I am, and allowing me to bring all my weird, imaginative ideas to the table. It means more than you know.

Outside of school, I’m an avid baker and home chef (my boyfriend is very appreciative of these factors, as he adores the buttermilk lemon-blueberry muffins I make). I’m also an EMT, funnily enough, so I often spend my nights helping patients out with whatever they need. When I’m not working or doing schoolwork, I enjoy walking, running, hiking, playing tennis, practicing yoga and meditation, and doing pilates. These are all forms of movement I’ve learned to enjoy and that benefit me emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. Additionally, I enjoy writing, drawing, painting, doing crosswords, and sketching (typically, these are done with a cup of coffee not too far away, if I’m able to swing it). Aside from these, I have a lovely fish named Atlas, a small army of plants who I adore very, very much, and two younger siblings who I still owe ice cream to.

Sorry guys. I promise you’ll get your DQ...eventually.

I hope that you all have enjoyed this article as much as I have had writing it, and that you stick around for a while. I usually write blogs each week, often having a research-based article followed by a summary of what’s gone down that week (i.e. fighting my microwave). Thank you for reading, and know that your support for this blog does not go unnoticed. I’m proud of you for everything that you have, are, or will do :) Feel free to email me at blgav1@unh.newhaven.edu to give me article ideas, comments, or to tell me if I have a typo, haha. See you soon!

With peace, love, and peanut butter, your blogger,
Beatrice ❤️