It is safe to say that Brett soon found his niche within weightlifting and it turned out to have a huge influence on his life. “When you lift a new weight for the first time you get this surge of adrenaline, pride, and accomplishment that can only be rivaled by a few things in life. As a shy high school student, this sport gave me a lot of confidence in myself and taught me how to work hard towards my goals. On top of that, the sky is the limit with weightlifting. You can always push yourself to get stronger, and I loved that I got to go to the gym every day and push myself to get stronger and to see what I was made of.” Unfortunately, Brett is not able to continue weightlifting in dental school due to the large toll it can have on your body. “I needed to stop once dental school started to protect my wrists (I really need those now).” However, weightlifting during college put Brett in the routine of going to the gym on a regular basis, which he has continued to do throughout dental school. “Weightlifting taught me how important exercise is in a balanced schedule. So I still use going to the gym as a stress reliever and a break from all the studying. I’m just not able to lift all the heavy weights I used to.”
Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021
0 Comments
Elisabeth - I absolutely love to cook, particularly healthy meals, but some not so healthy, so choosing a recipe to share was not easy since I have so many favorites. I cook most nights, so quick recipes are a must. My favorite recipes are ones that involve as little clean up as possible, so this one pot meal is one of my favorites. Especially with summer right around the corner, this super flavorful meal is a go to for me. You can change it up by using chicken thighs or shrimp. I’m sure it would be good with any other meat, so you can have fun experimenting! Another great thing about this recipe is that it’s gluten free, so you can share with anyone! I prefer using a Dutch oven for most things I cook, everything cooks more evenly in my experience and it always browns the chicken nicely. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, any large skillet with higher sides will do. Ok, now on to recipe… this is for about 4 serving sizes, so more than likely enough for 2 people with a little left over. This recipe takes about 40-45 minutes from start to finish including prep time. Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice with Chicken Thighs
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Author: Sydney Larsen, Class of 2021 Committee of the month for April is Fundraising! Officers Ashley Weaver, Rick Rampi, and Steven Sheibley planned and organized our annual Vendor Fair. They did an incredible job putting everything together - for photos of the event, click here. Also, we would like to thank our sponsors, Aspen Dental, Henry Schein, Sarrell Dental, Patterson Dental, and Gendus for their continued support of ASDA!
While no Birmingham native would deny the great food options we have here, it is always fun to try out the tastes and flavors of a new culture. When asked what Jordan’s favorite part of traveling is, he said “Definitely the food. The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten was a fried scorpion in Beijing.” Not saying you have to try a scorpion any time soon, but it’s always a great idea to jump out of your comfort zone and try new foods you may not think you like. Jordan has many great memories of trips with just his dad but he says his favorite memory of traveling was his study abroad trip to New Zealand and Australia. According to Jordan, “when you spend a couple of months in a country rather than a couple of days it changes everything.” Study abroad trips are becoming more and more popular for undergraduate students, especially for those who have a big interest in expanding their knowledge on an international level. Plus, it’s a great excuse to get out of the country and have a little fun!
For those of you who want to travel more but always come up with an excuse not to go, here is what Jordan says: “Stop telling yourself why you can’t or shouldn’t go and just do it. If traveling is truly important to you, find a way to get out there and see the world.” Summer is coming, so get planning!
Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021
The D1 class had a great time welcoming the incoming Class of 2022 at the annual ASDA Spring Preview Welcome Party. After a long day of icebreakers, the future D1s got to relax and eat some Taco Mama with the current D1 class. “It was so fun to meet the incoming class!” says Pre-Dental Chairman, Danielle Ho. “I remember how excited I was to come to my Spring Preview. I can’t believe it has already been a year since then! This new group seems so enthusiastic, I can’t wait for them to join our dental family in July.” The last major event of March was the annual Vendor Fair. Thanks to our Fundraising Committee, we were able to host 33 vendors and raise $20,300 to be put towards chapter events and conferences. Vendor Fair is always a fantastic opportunity for students to network with companies across the Southeast and learn about everything from dental supplies to recruitment. Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021
Of course, joining the Navy is not for everyone but for Hillary, who had strong ties with the military through her family, it was a no-brainer. “Three out of my four grandparents were in the military, two in the Air Force and one in the Navy. My parents both grew up as military brats and have always thought highly of the military and the benefits it has still to this day provided for our family.” Hillary completed her undergraduate education at the University of Florida, which is where she first found out about the HPSP scholarship program. Her first step in learning more about the program was talking to a recruiter. She explained, “there was a very active dental/medical Navy recruiter in Gainesville, who I listened to a few times before I took serious thought to the idea.” With graduation looming near for the fourth years, I asked Hillary what she is most excited for after graduation. The day after graduation, Hillary will fly to Rhode Island for Officer Development School (ODS). She will be there for 5 weeks, at the end of which will be a graduation ceremony. “I think what I am most looking forward to in the short-term is this ceremony,” Hillary says. “I am really proud to be in this program and I think that on this day when I graduate as an official officer in the Navy, I am going to feel like I have put my life towards something bigger than I ever imagined.” Hillary has already been accepted into an AEGD residency program at Naval Station Norfolk next year which just happens to be the world’s largest naval base. It is safe to say that the Navy is giving Hillary plenty to be excited for when graduation comes. Along with the excitement of graduating and joining the Navy, Hillary made sure to point out there are still things she is nervous about. “ODS has definitely made me anxious” she says. “As soon as they gave me that start date, I went to my planner and wrote a countdown of the days I have left until then. I think it will be physically and mentally demanding and I am sure I will miss my friends and family. Still, I know I can get through anything I put my mind to.” No matter what, being in the military is always risky and this fact alone may discourage many students from joining the program. Hillary does not let this keep her down though because while political turmoil definitely makes her nervous, she takes it in stride saying, “should the U.S. increase deployments for any reason, I feel like this would be the time when my duty to our nation would be needed most and I will proudly serve.”
Hillary also has great advice for anyone who is interested in joining a branch of the military. “Do your research, meet with a recruiter (who you can trust!), talk with someone who has been there and decide if this is for you. Like I said, this may not sound attractive to everyone. For me, I would rather serve for 4 years, treating a population who I believe deserves the best care in the world, all while getting expanded training and getting paid, than have the financial stress of loans, finding a job, etc. after school. If this is how you think, go for it!!” She also pointed out that we have many experienced veterans right here in our school to get advice from, including Dr. Mueninghoff, Dr. Ford, Dr. Stevens, and Dr. Bradford. And being the superstar that she is, she is always willing to answer any questions anyone may have. We are proud to have Hillary as a member of ASDA and a student at our school and will miss her when she graduates in May. Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021 |
Categories
All
Archives
September 2020
|