Chocolate as a Cure for Anxiety

Alicia Ramos

February 26, 2018

Time is quickly approaching- In less than 36 hours the class and I will be on board in route to Grenada! First on my list is to drown myself in some delicious local chocolate to alleviate my anxiety. How did time pass so quickly? I was certain that by the time we left to travel to Grenada I would be feeling confident and ready for what's to come. However, as of now, I am feeling an array of emotions. The reality of it is no matter how much I prepare myself for this trip there are going to be many adjustments and last minute changes we will have to make in order to accomplish our goals. At this point, it's probably best to get comfortable with what I know and what my team has put together, and realize that once we step foot on the island things may very well change. Field research rarely goes as planned; therefore it is important to demonstrate flexibility and be able to adapt to new situation(s) as they arise.

My second worry is having to present to the Ministry of Education, and other professionals that will be attending. Presentations have always been uncomfortable for me and now having to present in front of an entire audience of people who have put their trust in us to gather information on adolescent risky behaviors and present recommendations to them makes me nervous. Thankfully I have a great team that is supportive, prepared, and motivated to do the best they can so our final product is valuable to the Ministry of Education and the broader community of Grenada.

I hope this experience is the start of a global public health career for me. While I still continue to struggle in knowing my exact interest in public health, one thing I do know is that I love to do hands-on field research and engage with communities. This class offers the opportunity to do just that, which is why I was excited to enroll in the course.