Andrea Morgan Fall 2016 Blog
by Andrea Morgan, December 15, 2016
As an accelerated culinary student at Kendall College, sometimes I look around and ask myself if I’m actually here. Just a year ago I was working in the information technology field, was really unhappy, and felt like I was stuck in a loop of boredom. They say that when a person is making the right decision, they don’t keep it from people or shyly admit to their decision when people ask; that is how I felt once I made the decision to come to Kendall. For almost the first time in my career I was – and still am – completely satisfied with this decision.
The culinary program here has fostered so much growth in my skills and confidence, and even though I work extremely hard, I would not have grown as much without the passion and commitment that all of the Chef Instructors here at Kendall exude. And by “all” I really mean all. I have never been in a school or a job where every person involved seemed so engaged and supportive. Even my classmates have become kind of like my little community, all supporting one another through the highs and lows.
This quarter in particular was the most difficult that accelerated students have to face. The entire quarter had classes that begin at 6am (usually ending at noon), and then for five weeks we had class until 6pm. Add in additional classes like Catering, Professional Development, Food Service Management, and a required Practical Skills Test bringing together all of our skills learned, and this quarter could have easily become unmanageable. Through the entire quarter my classmates and I were there for each other, whether it was celebrating successes, or trying to get through really exasperating tasks. It went so quickly that I can hardly believe we started three months ago.
Since the quarter flew by, I am just now able to really reflect on where I am now. From last year I have done a complete “one-eighty” in terms of my confidence, perspective, sense of community, and happiness. I am so content that I finally made the decision to come to Kendall to do something I really love. I have gained the skills, but I have also gained a kind of family, which is just as important.
