My Story

Finally! The food blog has begun! I am so excited to have a blog to share all my foodie thoughts and what I am learning at school. But where do I go to school and what am I studying, you ask? Well, that's a very interesting question. Let me explain.

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It was around 1:30pm on Thursday, July 9th 2009, that my life changed. The year preceding this moment had been full of excitement and many changes itself---leaving BYU (where I was studying German and Health Science with plans to go to PA school), getting married, moving to Philadelphia, beginning independent study (with only six choices of majors for independent study students, I went with Family Life), getting an office job at the University of Pennsylvania's Fitness Center, and life as a newly married couple. Independent Study had not been going as well as I had hoped--both in the rate of completion and the lack of mental stimulus. At work, I had a lousy boss that just made life not so pleasant. I felt like life was just in a rut, and I needed some motivation to get out of that rut.

The week before the 9th, I had started researching culinary schools. I figured that culinary school would be my motivation to get through independent study and receive my bachelor's degree. Once I received my bachelor's, perhaps I could go to culinary school and do something I love! This sounded like a pretty good plan to me, even if it was me just dreaming. I got information mailed to me from different programs in the area and put it all in a folder.

Now it is 1:30pm on that momentous Thursday in July, when, I realize (and my family knew for some time), that I needed to make a change! Surely there had to be some better educational alternative for me, that could even possibly change my reasons for receiving that education. With independent study, I felt like I was just dragging through it to receive a fairly insignificant piece of paper, instead of doing it because I want to learn and grow (as it should be). As I researched, all the schools had not surprisingly already passed their deadline for admissions. All the schools except one, that is. Drexel University.

It just so happened that as I looked at Drexel's website, I found that there was a "Prospective Transfer Student Information Session" on Friday, the very next day. Coincidence?? I did not think so either. I eagerly canceled work for the following day and went to the meeting. Yes, they have majors in German, Health Science, Music, and all the rest, but one stood out to me:

CULINARY ARTS.

No way? Could this truly be? My fanciful dream of culinary school could actually come true as I receive my bachelor's degree IN culinary arts? It almost sounds too good to be true! Where do I apply? At the meeting I found out that they have a late admissions process for transfer students called "instant admissions" where if you bring your sealed college transcripts plus their completed application and meet with an admissions counselor, they tell you right then and there if you are accepted or not. After the meeting, I contacted BYU and had my transcripts overnighted (is that correct english? overnit? oh the subtle complexities of the English language). I received them Monday morning and went in for my interview that afternoon. I was accepted on the spot and they also told my what kind of scholarship I would receive--a very substantial one indeed! In the following weeks I planned out my courses and also chose to have a 6-month internship experience specifically in Culinary during my time at Drexel.

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So here I am now, 7:28pm on March 25, 2010, two terms completed, about to start my internship, and then just two terms left before graduation. I cannot believe I am going to SCHOOL for something I absolutely love so much. It is amazing how things just worked out so perfectly. This is a blog to share all the many food-related thoughts, details about my classes, and some yummy recipes. Life couldn't be better.