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One of the things I hate most is when people around my age say “I’m bored!”  It makes me want to yell at them.  As a person who can always find something to do, it is difficult to fathom being “bored”.  My charge to you if you become bored is to cook something up in your life:  Mix in 1 part of fun activity with 1 part fun people, sprinkle in some good music or your favorite beverage, stir lightly, and enjoy.

I have never been able to cook well.  If I could only rely on myself to prepare food, there would be many sandwiches, cereal, and macaroni and cheese.  Those are definitely good for a few meals but that’s about it.  As a guy who has spent over six years working in the food and beverage industry, I choose to have meals prepared for me instead.  While these meals do cost more money, they always taste better than anything I have tried to make!  However, I have always wanted to learn how to cook a tender and juicy steak or chicken breast so when it comes to meal time I can start relying on myself.  Well, sure enough, I happened to have a golden opportunity arise so I could learn to be self-sufficient.

Some friends decided to “cook up” the idea of a potluck.  As I said earlier, I do not cook well.  So what does someone who doesn’t cook well bring in order to impress people?  I truly had no idea whatsoever.  Well, I just happened to be in the mood for a steak (since I only serve them every day at Lochland).  So, I thought that it’s time to learn how to cook one for myself!  I hopped online, learned the best cut of meat to buy, how to season, and the proper cooking technique to ensure juices and flavor.  Once the potluck came around and I had made the best steaks, I truly felt a sense of accomplishment.  All of us mixed 1 part cooking with 1 part fun people and added some booze to the mix (in the kitchen it’s called “creative energy”) to complete our recipe.  We all thoroughly enjoyed our creation (including my steaks) and will definitely be using our recipe again soon.

So if you find yourself bored, think of how you can “cook something up” before I angrily come after you.  It might not be having a potluck or teaching oneself how to cook a steak, but it should certainly be something other than the same-old humdrum routine.  We had a great time with our potluck by adding a little extra effort.  With that little extra, we turned ordinary dinner time into an extraordinary memory and evening together.

I think the wine helped too.

About the author: Josh Wooster

I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, where I attended Millard West High School. I chose Hastings College because it gave students personal attention, extracurricular options, and music ensembles better than those of other colleges in the state. I am currently the leader of 1-2-5, the men’s a-cappella singing ensemble, while also being a part of the Hastings College Choir and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the men’s music fraternity. Other commitments include being an intern for the Hastings Chamber of Commerce and membership in the Student Environmental Action Coalition and Society for Collegiate Journalists. “Free time” for me involves arranging music for 1-2-5, working at the Lochland Country Club, and searching for a job. I am a jovial spirit with a diligent attitude towards work, and a keen eye for detail. I hope to stick around Hastings after college to work and give back to the city and college that have offered me so much.