I Tried.
The good news is that I definitely did learn a lot in my time there. Even though it ended unpleasantly, it was enjoyable to be back in a classroom again. Learning is great. Just… Not all the time.
College
Like a House Aflame…
You know when things aren’t going well but you’re so determined to ignore it, by the time you actually deal with it you’re well past “not going well” and fully planted into “I am having a mental breakdown right now” territory?
Class Schedule, Updates, & … Graduation???
When I swapped the AAS degrees for certificates, I knew it would be a big change. But get this, if my classes goes according to the schedule above, I will be able to walk in the May 2026 graduation ceremony (!!).
Course Correction
When I first had the idea to go to culinary school, I knew I wanted to earn the Associates of Applied Science in Culinary Arts degree. Unfortunately, as I got more familiar with the degree programs and all of the requirements, I became acutely aware that this might not be the best idea after all.
Sample Paper
My 8-week class Safety and Sanitization has wrapped and I emailed my instructor to thank her and tell her how much I learned. She said she enjoyed having me as a student and asked me if she could use my final paper as a sample paper for future classes! I was honored and shocked and delighted all at the same time
Wrapping up Safety and Sanitation Class
So yes, Safety and Sanitation is in the bag. Now I can focus on Basic Food Prep for the rest of the semester.
Update: A Sad Day for Science
I regret to inform you that my science experiment didn’t go to plan. At all.
The Conversion Sheet Shuffle
But it got me thinking about how I spent real time worrying before I started classes about if I would be able to keep up with classes. If I would be simply “too old.” If the younger students would have some huge advantage over me.
For Science! Food Science!
My final project for Safety and Sanitation class is a science experiment. I love science! Even if most of it goes over my head. But I was happy to find an experiment I could understand and order some petri dishes off Amazon that were clearly intended for grade school students. The experiment is simple: I…
Beer, Cheese, Soup?
In class we have been focused on making soups and I decided there was no better way to practice than to make a soup from my textbook. I picked one we wouldn’t make in class, just for variety. After polling the household for their top picks out of several soups in the book, it was clear the beer cheese soup was the easy winner. And I was happy to make it.
Week 3 Down: A Culinary School Update
Wow, time flies when you’re in the kitchen. Culinary school is intense, to say the least. It’s a lot to remember, a lot to keep in mind while you’re working, and — DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE, YOU’LL HAVE TO REWASH YOUR HANDS!!
Let’s Get Culinary!
It’s 8 hours 59 minutes until my Basic Food Preparation (Basic) class starts. My computer gives me calendar updates next to the date and time, which I have to admit are seriously helpful. Anyway, I had my first Basic class last week and it was really fun! We had a tour of the kitchen, went…
Food Handler’s Certification: Check!
Classes start in two days and I am checking off boxes as I go. One was to get my Food Handler’s Certification so I can actually cook food in class. Next up, figuring out what in the world the bookstore is doing with my chef clothing order.
Pre-College Skill Assessment
Before I begin my journey in culinary arts, I’m going to evaluate myself in a bunch of skills I found on this random blog. I thought it would be fun, but it would also help to show me how far I have come at the end of my degree plan.
I will grade my current skills on a scale of 1 through 10. 1 being the worst, and 10 being the best. Let’s go!
Classes are Registered! It’s Real!!
I had my tour at the culinary campus of the local community college yesterday. It was amazing! I was so impressed by the entire campus. Not only did they have the equipment, space, talented teaching staff, and caring support personnel that I was hoping for, but they did so many wonderful things for the community. I was amazed!