Today I’m talking about gap semesters and my decision to start pastry school. Now that I think about it, this post may seem strange since my previous one was about getting ready for college as a high school senior; and I am neither getting ready for college or a senior.
Wait? You’re not getting ready for college?!
Nope, I’m attending pastry school! Well, I’m already halfway through this first course. Before I graduated high school my parents and I discussed my next steps regarding college, and we decided that a break would be best. Senior year mentally slaughtered me, so I didn’t complain one bit.
However, I didn’t want to take a whole year off. You see, I have this timeline in my head that goes like this: start college at 18 > graduate college at 22 > do something cool afterward. Thank goodness my birthday is in July or I would be in a bind. Consequently, to both accomplish my goals and take that well-deserved break, I opted to start college in the Spring.
Making my gap semester count
Of course, I couldn’t just take a break and laze around the whole time. My parents would have quickly changed their mind and shipped me off to whatever college would take me. Plus, I can’t imagine months of free time after working hard every day for four years. Finding a job would be the obvious first choice, but the timing and job market was tight.
The other option on the table was pastry school. Why, pastry school? It’s no secret that I love baking. If you follow my Instagram you may have seen me post a few cakes and such to my feed. That’s only a teeny-tiny glimpse of all the things I bake. I started baking when I was 10-ish and have continued to grow in my love for the craft. Check out some of my favorite baked projects.
What’s the lowdown on pastry school
Le Cordon Bleu-Sookmyung Academy is where I decided to study. I first learned about Le Cordon Bleu when my best friend’s mother, who was my baking mentor for a while, told me about her plans to attend many years ago that ended up falling through. Previously, I had only regarded baking as an enjoyable hobby that I would dabble in every once and a while. Pastry school opened up a whole new path for me. Instead of remaining a hobby, my passion could turn into my profession with a little hard work and determination.
As of now, I attend school twice a week from 9 am to 4 pm. Days are long, but I get to come home with a delicious treat at the end of each class. Likewise, I get to study alongside a foreign student population. Not only am I immersing myself in French pastry culture, but also in Korean student culture. Above all, I appreciate the opportunity that I have been given and cannot wait to see what is in store for me both after I finish my pastry course and when I begin college in the Spring.
I hope you enjoyed this more personal post. It’s been in my mind to write this for some time, and I’ve finally come around to it. Tell me, how is your school coming along, whether it’s high school or college? Maybe you also took an unconventional route. I reply to every comment so don’t be shy!
