The world of possibilities was brought back. by Rumbidzai

The world of possibilities was brought back. by Rumbidzai - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

When I was told that I had to enroll in a class called food and service management systems, I was devastated. For starters, this class did not have the best reputation among the students; many students despised the laboratory class because you had to volunteer at a different establishment for four hours every week throughout the semester. The volunteer labs were scheduled as early as six in the morning and students had no say to the establishments they were assigned to and or the duties they had to perform. We felt this was too much work in addition to our course work for this class and all the other classes we were enrolled in. Little did I know that I would learn the most important lesson about my career from the teacher of this class!
As a young lady who grew up in Africa, I had never seen a dietitian or even heard much about them. I grew up in an impoverished economy where one picks a career according to its need and demand in the community and not because of his or her passion. We hardly have dream jobs in Africa or “stepping out of the box” type of careers; we just do not have the luxury of dreaming. Therefore, when I chose to study dietetics, I did not receive much support from my family; they could not understand why I would not choose to be a nurse or another popular career. Honestly, I cannot blame my family because I myself cannot even name a relative, friend or anyone familiar who is a successful dietitian. Although dietitians are very important, they are just not popular in some parts of the world.
As time progressed and I began to face many challenges in my educational path, I began to feel discouraged and doubted my career choice too. When I enrolled for the food and service management class, my confidence in dietetics was at an all time low. Yes, doubt and negative thoughts were winning this race. I recall the first day of class; the teacher began to explain the importance of nutrition and the numerous career paths that one could pursue with a degree in nutrition. She assured us that as long people are eating, we are guaranteed jobs. In addition, she showed the class a video of people who work in different jobs that are listed under the umbrella of the food and service industry. That whole insightful project opened up my mind to the possibilities that are entangled with the nutrition industry. Furthermore, partaking in the lab gave me an opportunity to meet different individuals who hold different titles and responsibilities in the food service industry.
In conclusion, the most important lesson that I learnt from a teacher was that my career choice was important and associated with plenty of opportunities. This realization dropped the limits that I had imposed on myself and my career. It gave me hope to dream again and strength to work towards my dreams. Who knows, maybe one day I will be someone’s example of a successful dietitian and inspire many out there