Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Why I am going to college

Andrew Warren
Hertzog
September 1, 2014
CCR 092
Why I am going to college
            I wanted to take a different perspective on this paper and explain why I want to go to college. I would like to put you in my shoes for a moment and show what my typical daily routine is like so that you can get a better understanding of what pushed me into taking this different path into my already busy life.
            I have been cooking for about fifteen years. I started from the bottom dishwashing, then moved up to cooking on the line, sous chef, and now I am an executive chef. I wake up every day a few hours before I have to go to work. I work anywhere from 9 to 12 hours a day. Working in a restaurant is far from glamorous; it is not like what you see on the cooking channel or travel channel.  It is extremely hot in the kitchen, and most kitchen workers will end up getting cut or burned at some point in their career. Most restaurant workers can kiss their weekends goodbye and have to work all of the major holidays, cutting into family their time. It has a major effect on your body as well. I have sore feet, back problems, and bad knees. The pay is not that much for all of this strenuous work either. One day I finally said, “I’m getting to old for this”. I am tired of living pay check to pay check. On my days off I like to do art, paint, sculpt, or create something. One day I thought to myself, “I wish I could do this for a living”. So I decided enough was enough, I wanted to go to college so I can have a better life for myself. I want a career that I enjoy. I want to go to work and feel like I am not actually going to work. I want to be able to enjoy time with my family. I want to be able to have a Thanksgiving Day off. But, this is not the full reason why I want to go to college. When I told my mother that I wanted to go to college, she said “You won’t make it. You were never really that good at school.” I would like to prove my mother wrong. I know I can be successful in college and I know that I will enjoy being creative in graphic arts.


1 comment:

  1. Andrew --

    I can relate. I waited tables for six years, so I get exactly what you're saying about the work and the time. It can be fun, too, but it gets old. So I'm glad you're coming back to school to pursue something that you enjoy. School is much more fun -- and it's easier -- when you're focused on a passion instead of a paycheck.

    I look forward to reading more from you and helping you in whatever way I can. (And if you want to bring us any of your delicious food this semester, I'm sure no one would complain ... )

    Thanks,

    Nick

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