Exam season is finally upon us once again. Running on 2 hours of sleep, or power naps more like, high on caffeine, sugar and god knows what just to power through those final deadlines. This author is just as drained as you folks. Are we all doing okay? Who’s kidding, no we’re not obviously but still deadlines, presentations, exams, and of course Monga awaits no one. I digress, where was I again? Ah yes, back to the main point. 

“You are what you eat.”

I bet many of you have heard this statement one too many times and if it were really true, I would’ve become a literal couch potato a long time ago. However, while not in the most literal sense when it comes to food, this statement holds a hefty weight regardless because in a sense we are what we consume. Whether it is food, media, the TikToks you scroll through at unholy hours, they inevitably feed into our body and mind. 

As students, we might not make the most educated decisions when it comes to the food we ingest, especially not when we are running on fumes. There have certainly been more than a handful of days where one has forgotten meals, or snacked aimlessly on chips, diet drinks, desserts and anything you can name just to quiet our stomachs. While it worked for a short period, in the long run it leaves us drowsy, lethargic and mayhaps even with a more unending appetite. 

Nutrition is something that lives in our minds but never truly acted upon especially when we are living through a highly stressful period of our lives. That was the point why students from the Bachelor of Human Nutrition have put together this event to celebrate global nutrition awareness day centered around the use of nutrition in the prevention of chronic diseases. 

Can’t wrap your head around what types of fats are more beneficial while others have been linked to diseases? Or you’re simply finding it difficult to process any new information since your brain is already fried from 12 weeks worth of lectures? Well here you learn through fun interactive games instead where you find yourself actually enjoying with your friends as you learn about the importance of food and nutrition in our lives. This includes learning about how to build a healthy diet lower in sugar and salt, promoting movement in daily lives and even offering a completely free blood pressure check-up for students. 

Additionally, they have partnered with an Australian avocado company to bring in their avocados for all to enjoy, attracting many even in the early hours. The trays of specially crafted avocado treats empties the moment they’re laid out with booth staff scurrying about with the seemingly neverending task of refilling the ever disappearing food. The avocado itself was smooth and creamy with a very mild taste that was highly palatable to most, making it the ideal base for both savoury and sweet dishes. This author’s favourite was the smoothie-like treat which was creamy and sweetened with perhaps condensed milk which highlighted the natural taste of the avocados.

This event serves as a reminder to us that health is a very precious thing, especially for young folks who might think themselves immune to diseases simply because of our age. Your body is a temple, your one true home so you must treat it with grace. Nourish it properly with the food it deserves, but remember everything in moderation, just because you treasure your health does not mean you restrict yourself from the foods you love and crave even if they might not be the most nutritious in terms of calories, protein or what not. 

As a society we can work towards better educating students how proper nutrition plays a role in our lives, especially in current times where misinformation can be easily spread online in mere seconds. So to the students curled up over their desks cramming for exams, remember to treat your body kindly and I promise your mind will follow. 

Written by Jia Wei

Photos by Irin