5th grade health class

I remember it being really boring. The books were outdated, the pages were yellowed and cracked, and opening them would release an unpleasant expired sort of odor. The people in the photographs had ugly hair and whitewashed jeans with the tight ankle cuffs. A lot of the things we learned seemed like common sense unless it was about the difference between arteries and veins and what the left side of the brain did compared to the right. The lesson on stress was probably the most vague and unmemorable, if not for the fact that its vagueness made it memorable. I couldn't comprehend how something we felt (e.g. competition or fear or indecisiveness) could eventually mangle my heart and increase my chances for strokes and other chronic diseases.

But being a college student who exercises next to never, eats poorly, sleeps irregularly, drinks more caffeine than usual during times when my psychology is already compromised is just a set up for a premature death. It's ironically sadistic how "evolved and sophisticated" human nature drains our life source. There isn't another specimen in the animal kingdom who remains in a constantly agitated state because they realize they're in a constantly agitated state. People in third world countries don't have fewer rates of depression for no reason.

And education has an oddly curvilinear relationship with health. Those who attain higher levels of education practice healthier and wiser lifestyles and thus experience a heightened quality of life. But in order to get there, their minds and their bodies aimlessly go through a hell known as the school system to arrive at something, anything, that'll redeem the journey. Conversely, it's sorta sad that the stereotype of a lower educated bumpkin being an obese smoker has warranted roots, but their financial situation and social stratification leaves them with little comfort or options in the first place.

Don't make me out to be an anarchist of any kind. I think everyone needs to learn something more, girls especially (so I guess you could make me out to be a feminist). Take this quote from the Misfits: "there's only one thing young ladies should be inserting into themselves - and that's knowledge." But there's a healthier way of doing things and people should make smart goal-aspiring stress-free living the norm. Caring about my health and others' health is a good thing (and maybe a potential professional route for me?) End rant.