Accidental Studying

The other day my boyfriend and I were in Five Below when we saw an ugly Christmas sweater cookie Kit. Because we had theretofore been searching for an ugly Christmas sweater to wear to an upcoming party, we pounced on it. Unfortunately, the kit required us to make just about everything from scratch: dough, icing, you name it. While this may sound great to an all-star baker, it sounded daunting to me. There were so many steps. It would have been so much easier to just go to the store and buy cookies. But because of the beautiful cookies promised by the front of the box, I decided not to whine and instead try my luck at baking. There I was beating flour, egg, butter, and milk; rolling and cutting dough; decorating with a little icing bag, just like the ladies in the grocery store bakery department. I had never baked before (unless you count those little pre-cut Tollhouse squares that you just pop on a pan and stick in the oven), but the cookies turned out delicious! The best part about this experience was learning a new skill. That’s not to say I’m ready to cook a five-course meal for all my family and friends – I’ve only baked once! But I would have never known I could bake until I simply got over my impatience and tried. So I challenge you this holiday season to try something you’ve never tried before. Perhaps that something is skiing, or learning Greek, or reading a book about Abraham Lincoln. Not only will you learn something new about the activity at hand, but you will realize you’re capable of doing and understanding far more than you had given yourself credit for. You may even develop a new talent that is crucial to determining your college major and/or future career. So what are you waiting for? GO LEARN GREEK!

Coach Courtney

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