1. You’re that person in the dining hall.
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You customize everything and know all the best DC hacks. P.S. Never say “there’s nothing good to eat” ever again, when you can request ‘just the chicken’ from one station, and ‘just the vegetables’ from another. You get the idea, and I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t that high-maintenance? Nooooo. It’s a simple swap that requires ZERO extra effort. Simply say the word, my friend.
2. You bring a lunchbox to campus.
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What’s in these mysterious cases, you ask? We stuff these to the brim with Tupperware, silverware, ice packs…the works. You might say it’s elementary, but we say that lunchtime is serious business.
3. You hear fellow students’ snacks before you see them.
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You see, generally lecture hall foods include chewy granola bars and even colossal burritos from the CoHo. Come to an overall quiet nutrition lecture, however, and you’ll learn very quickly what nuts, carrots, apples, and seaweed all have in common…they’re crunchy.
4. You’re practically on first name basis with the Davis farmer’s market vendors.
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And you certainly know all of the best deals.
5. The word nutritionist makes you cringe.
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Just so ya know: Anyone can call him/herself a ‘nutritionist.’ Many of us are going on to become Registered Dietitians, in which preparation involves a highly-selective, intensive 1,200 hour internship. This internship prepares us for the Board Exam, after which we’ll be legally licensed to administer Medical Nutrition Therapy.
6. People assume your major is synonymous to ‘gluten-free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, organic, non-GMO health nut’.
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In reality, we preach whole foods and realize that these trendy labels can be dangerous.
7. You feel the need to play “Mad Scientist” every time you cook dinner/snacks for yourself or friends
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On that note, you’re always sure to have unconventional creative Netflix and Chill snack ideas.
8. The mention of ABI102/103 makes you want to cry, punch a wall, and become nostalgic all at once.
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8am Biochemistry (5 days a week at 8am for 2 quarters straight) was cruel and unusual punishment that you should never wish upon anybody. But you know what? We made it out alive, and even learned to develop a twisted deep appreciation for metabolic pathways.
9. Your classmates have become your family.
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UC Davis Nutrition is no doubt a highly competitive science major that will surely give you a run for your money-it is one of the top nutrition programs in the nation, after all– but it turns out that competition doesn’t grant permission to be a jerk. Although we call each other out and disagree just like any other dysfunctional family, we also study together and understand that this collaborative effort makes life easier for everyone.
10. You know that ‘nutrition’ is really the complex love-child of physiology, chemistry, biology, economics, psychology, and biochemistry.
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It’s dynamic, integrative, and incredibly complex…and we wouldn’t have it any other way.