In high school, I often found myself thinking about the next snack and planning what I would have for dinner. In fact, a fair amount of my time was devoted to what I would eat next.

Before this, I had never understood why people got so excited about food. While others often overindulged, I didn’t enjoy eating as much. In fact, I was often told that I ate “like a bird.” Gradually, though, my habits changed. I began to seek happiness and gratification through food.

In some ways, it was nice to finally be part of the crowd and look forward to eating pizza, ice cream, snacks, and other popular treats with friends and filling up my plate at all-you-can-eat salad bars. I was no longer a picky eater at home, and that made the cook happy! Food became something fun to anticipate. This new focus seemed to hold many benefits.