Something that gets me through challenges is food. To me, it’s sort of therapeutic, as it is comforting, the time that it takes to eat a meal provides a break, and eating it is just one of the best ways to relax. I love food because it provides relief when I’m stressed, provides comfort when I’m sad and tastes even better when I’m happy. It compliments how I feel at all times of day, whether I feel stressed in the afternoon, tired at night, or refreshed in the morning. It’s always something to look forward to, even if there’s nothing else to do that day. Imagine waking up to a perfect day, the sun’s shining, there are no clouds, the birds are chirping, and everything’s good. After getting a glass of water and sitting down, there lies a plate full of delicious goodness. Fluffy pancakes stacked high, crispy salty bacon that melts on the tongue, perfectly runny eggs that coat everything in their silky smooth yolks, all washed down by a cold glass of orange juice.

Food isn’t just a meal at the end of the day; it’s a reward for enduring tough times, boring times, and arduous times. One of the challenges that food helps get me through is schoolwork. There are two things that get me through schoolwork; flow and food. While flow is achieved through consistent work through an hour or two, food is gratification that I can give to myself as motivation. If I work for 2 hours and have a 5 minute break every 30 minutes to grab a snack, then it serves as a sort of milestone. Because I worked hard for the past 30 minutes, food tastes even better during that 5 minute period, as it feels not just tasty, but deserved. It’s exactly like fitness; work hard for 6 days, eat healthy for those 6 days. And then on the last day of the week, have a cheat meal as a reward for the past 6 days. Food at the end of a challenge is the most gratifying feeling, as it’s not just a reward for hard work, but a compliment for growth. And that’s why food is one of the things that gets me through most challenges that I face.

“We should enjoy food and have fun. It is one of the simplest and nicest pleasures in life.”-Julia Child