Florida State University Visit

I got a few days off here so I decided to check out FSU, one of the schools I am applying to for my MS in Sports Nutrition. ALthough I am in Florida right now, the 4+ hour drive was a bit long. Regardless, I set up the visit in advance and I was able to meet a few professors, students, and other administrators in the Nutrition and Food Science Department.



Professor #1:
Dr. Jeong-Su Kim


Research: Atrophy of skeletal muscle in mice with varied diet/exercise regimins
- Dr. Kim is integrated MRI machinery to measure skeletal muscle changes in these mice, which is supposedly a very unique technique. Although it is somewhat related to my research interests, I am not sure if I'd have the passion for this type of research... Moving on.

Professor #2:
Dr. Michael Ormsbee

Research: Nutrition supplements, ergogenic aids, protein timing for effective weight loss, optimal human performance
- I really got a good vibe when meeting with Dr. Ormsbee. He clearly had a passion for what he was researching and teaching. It also showed that he practices what he preaches (not all that common in a Nutrition professor). He gave me a lot of insight into the specifics of the program and what I could expect if I were to enroll there. He has quite a few graduate students working with him, although I may not be able to join him right away if I go to FSU. The current students have the funds and there won't be much opportunity for funding until they graduate.

After I met the professors, I got the chance to grab lunch with two of Dr. Ormsbee's graduate research assistants. They told me that he was great to work for. He does ask for a lot and is rather particular in some of his job assignments, but it pays off come thesis defense time. One of the students was researching protein timing in relation to weight loss. Interesting idea since many people know they should consume protein, but how much and when is best when trying to lose adipose tissue?

The other student is currently involved in a protocol where the participants consume Nutrisystem products and undergo resistance training as well. You may already know it, but the main source of funding for this research is Nutrisystem. Possible confounding interest? Yes. Regardless, it is a way to do some quality research.

The lab facilities at FSU are alright, not great. The lab I saw at Marywood U was far and above FSU's current lab. There is good news in that regard, though. Construction is currently underway to build a state of the art Human Performance Lab sponsored by Nike (yes, that Nike), which should be completed come this fall.

Overall: Good program with opportunity to do really interesting research that fits well within my research interests. The possible lack of funding may be a dealbreaker. If I can find a professor who has the funds available, I would be very confident that FSU would give me a great academic experience.

Great day for a long drive (forgive the odd screen glitch).

Magic Kingdom Pics

Some Castle pics







Haha! Aussie Jess working at the Buzz Lightyear ride


I killed on that ride


Buzz


Main Street in Magic Kingdom

Running in Orlando

I went for a four/five mile run at this park yesterday to get some new scenery into my running. Not a bad place to run, but the Pennsylvanian in me would've liked some more elevation changes. I could see the entire park while standing as it was so flat. One of my roomates, Dan from Georgia, joined in too.

The area directly around my apartment complex isn't the best for running as there is only like a mile stretch along a busy highway road that is runnable. For the most part, I've kept myself active by hitting up the gym, playing some volleyball and basketball, and getting a few local runs in. I'm perfectly fine with that as I can get a good sweat on, no big deal. I don't really have plans on doing an extensive amount of tri-training down here because why throw time away like that when I get to spend most of my time in the Disney area. I've got to admit that it has been nice to have a mental break from the bike. I'll be pumped to get back on it when my time hear comes to an end, but I'm going to enjoy my time down here sans the double-wheeled gyroscope.

Give me that sunshine

I'm now in my third week working at Disney World and it has been an amazing experience thus far. The first two weeks of work consisted of a redonkulous amount of orientation/training and sitting in front of computer doing e-learning... so glad that's over. Now I'm doing my rotations at two deluxe resorts at Disney, the Grand Floridian (see previous post) and the Polynesian Resort. The shifts have been a bit slow so far, as the weather is a bit chilly and overcast/rainy, but that will pick up in the coming weeks (Though I did get to watch Jon Stewart having a good time at the pool while I was on duty).



There is so much more to the experience here than work too. Although I am putting in full time hours, I have been to most of the parks in Disney, some cool spots around Orlando, and I'm checking the area today for some nice trails to run to get out of the gym and outside. I've got to say that I'm not sure if I'll have a favorite park out of the Disney parks (Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios) since they all have their own cool nuances. Downtown Disney, not actually a "park", is a spot I'll be hitting up for some nighttime fun throughout my time down here. The main attraction down there is the restaurant/bar/club, The House of Blues, which hosts concerts occasionally with upcoming shows from Flogging Molly, Yellowcard, and My Chemical Romance. Also, I hit up the club, Roxy, the other night with some of my roomates and a handful of girls from New Zealand and Australia. That was a new atmosphere for me there with a solid dance floor and DJ throwing down some good beat music. I'll make a trip there every now and then, but I dropped a bit of cash there that night so I need to watch myself.

The apartment living situation for us here is so diverse that it makes college seem, well, not diverse. The apartment complexes for the College Program kids here are pretty much an interactive map of the world. I hang out with kids from all around the country (all my roomates are from different states) and the globe. I used to think that American accents made people crazy different, but talking with Brazilians, Australians, New Zealanders, Brits, and others really opens the mind. I'll be bringing some crazy words and phrases back to town with me after the program for sure.



Enough sitting behind the computer, I'm heading out.