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Preparing for another foray into the world of the unknown.

Photo by Jen Nguyen

Taking Chances

By Mark Pak

It was supposed to be a momentous occasion, a day to be remembered. Instead, it turned out to be nothing more than 330 calories and 19 grams of fat. At the age of 19, I finally had my first taste of a food that contained a dairy product – a powdered sugar donut, to be exact. Unfortunately, it wasn’t even close to what I imagined it would be. But then again, how could anything live up to the glorious vision that I had built up in my head? Up until that point, I had never been able to eat what many prepubescent kids gorge themselves on – such culinary delights as pizza, chocolate and grilled cheese sandwiches – because I was allergic to milk and anything else that contained an ounce of a dairy product in it. And so for the first 18 years of my life, I dreamt about having just one taste of the unattainable joys that were Doritos chips and pepperoni pizzas. Any attempts at savoring a nibble of something as simple as a chocolate chip cookie were thwarted by my violent allergic reactions. Hives and swollen glands combined to produce an unsightly marriage, but they simultaneously fueled my desire to consume any and all things dairy. The doctors kept telling me that I might eventually grow out of my allergies. I waited patiently and watched other children eat to their hearts’ content, all the while enduring the painful jokes and verbal jabs that were thrown my way. I gradually learned to deal with the ignorant remarks, but I still felt sorry for myself. Until I took matters into my own hands, that is. I decided that I would prepare my allergy medication for the impending reaction and take a chance. No doctor’s advice was necessary, just a bit of intestinal fortitude and a willingness to be severely disappointed. What if I had outgrown my allergies and I simply did not know about it? Or what if, after more than four years of staying completely away from dairy products, I was even more allergic than before?

My sister and I go out to eat in California.

Photo by Rey Navarro

It turns out that I had indeed grown out of my allergies without my knowledge. And although the end result wasn’t the spectacular taste explosion I had expected, it was a turning point because I had taken a chance and succeeded. I had persevered through the days of eating cereal without milk, learned many things about myself that I wouldn’t have figured out otherwise and even managed to stave off the extra pounds that still haunt some of my colleagues today. Perhaps my foray into the world of journalism is similar to this experience, trivial as it may seem. I came into the University of Maryland without any idea of what kind of career to pursue or what I really wanted in life. I eventually chose to try my hand at pre-medical studies because it seemed honorable and a good way to make my parents happy. However, I was never at ease with my decision, feeling uninspired and restless. So, like that fateful day when I devoured my first donut, I took a chance. I completely changed course two years into my college career and decided to pursue a major that would provide me with a sense of fulfillment. Writing was always my forte and sports are my passion, so why not combine the two and take a shot at sports reporting? So far, it’s worked out well, and I’ve learned plenty from my experiences in journalism. But this time, I’m determined to enjoy the end result of my journey into the unknown.