ÃÛÌÒapp

For Mother's Day, I wanted to show my appreciation in a more authentic way than a greeting card from the drug store by my house. So, I found my favorite risotto recipe online (a dish I had only made twice before). This would be a challenge, as the extent of my kitchen innovation in the last year was cracking an egg into ramen noodles. But my mom was worth it, and I was up to the challenge.

Gathering the Ingredients

Instead of driving to Walgreens for a card, I went to the grocery store, leisurely browsing the aisles to procure only the finest of ingredients: arborio rice, Parmigiano Reggiano (the real thing), baby bella mushrooms, parsley, thyme, garlic, shallots, and chicken stock. Yes, the total was expensive, but this was a special occasion.

Ingredient Prep (Mise en Place)

Back home, I started on the real work: ingredient prep, known in France as mise en place (though I'm not an experienced cook, I like using fancy words and channeling my inner Masterchef). The French were onto something—having ingredients ready before cooking definitely helps.

With the Wicked soundtrack playing, I grated the parmesan into a fine, white powder that felt like snow and peeled the thyme leaves off the stems. I chopped my shallots and prepped the rest of my ingredients, having each ready to go at a moment's notice.

Cooking the Perfect Risotto

Finally, I was ready to cook. I heated some oil in the pan and gently wilted the shallots (sautéed until translucent). Then, it was time to mix in the mushrooms: cooking until soft and brown, then throwing in the garlic, thyme, and a little butter.

Once the seasonings were fully incorporated, I threw in the arborio rice, toasting it for one to two minutes (this opens up the rice and allows it to absorb the stock better). I poured in a splash of white wine for acidity, and then started adding the stock, one ladle at a time.

Non-Stop Stirring

And so commenced the stirring. I stirred my risotto to the tune of "Non-Stop" from Hamilton as my mom grew hungry. After 25 minutes of stirring and adding stock, I had the rice right where I wanted it: creamy, al dente, and perfectly flavored.

I took it off the heat, whipped in a tablespoon of butter (the Italians call this mantecare), and added the parmesan. At long last, my creation was finished, taking about ninety minutes after prep, recipe referencing, cooking, and endless stirring.

The Secret Ingredient

I've so verbosely articulated this process to paint the picture of the theme of this dish, and perhaps the most essential ingredient: patience. Risotto is often considered difficult to make, but if a ramen-eating amateur like myself can pull this off, anyone can. Risotto is a labor of love; every step should be embraced and enjoyed, right up to the moment of consumption.

I felt a satisfying pride as I ate my risotto with my mom that night, even though it would never be enough to repay her for everything she's done for me. However, it seemed to be the best way I could show her my appreciation. Watching my mom enjoy each bite that evening, I understood that genuine appreciation isn't measured in dollars. It's measured in the minutes given to create something meaningful, even if it's just a (delicious) bowl of risotto.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ÃÛÌÒapp Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –ÌýÌýto pitch your idea and get started! 

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As college students entangled in an ever-evolving web of classes, studying, extracurricularÌýactivities, job searching, and a plethora of other pressing issues, it can be hard to kick back for aÌýmoment and allow oneself to have fun. It can seem like everything we do needs to be part ofÌýsome bigger plan to advance ourselves in society--but it's okay to do things for your ownÌýenjoyment, and for no other reason. Here’s how I learned to snowboard and why I enjoy it – despite my not being naturally good at it.Ìý

My snowboarding journey began in the winter of my sophomore year of high school. At thatÌýpoint in my life, I was knee-deep in studying for classes, swimming year-round, and practicingÌýmy bass, so extreme leg-breaking sports were the last thing on my mind. On a cool Thursday evening, I got a text from my best friends asking me if I wanted to go snowboarding with them over the weekend – and my initial response was absolutely not.Ìý

On any given weekend, you could find me reading, playing poker, having a movie night, maybeÌýplaying some spike ball or pickleball, but snowboarding wasn't ever on the list. In addition toÌýhaving a crippling fear of heights, I'm not exactly the most coordinated person. Some people areÌýbuilt for comfort, not speed – I would classify myself within that group.Ìý

After some nagging, negotiating, and a healthy dose of peer pressure, I finally caved in and saidÌýI would go. We drove up to a small ski hill in Sapphire Valley, North Carolina – not the grandestÌýby any means, but a perfect place for me to learn. My friends taught me all the basics – including how to strap myself to the board, how to get onto the lift, and how to fall in the least painful way (thank the lord for that one) – but most of the technical stuff I needed to figure out on my own.Ìý

I pretty much spent the entire day falling in every way imaginable – learning how to distribute myÌýweight properly was a huge obstacle, as leaning too far in the wrong direction at the wrong timeÌýcauses a very sudden fall (this is referred to as "catching an edge"). It was extremely frustrating not being able to go for more than 15 seconds at a time without falling – I'll admit I got pretty heated in some moments. However, by the end of the day, I was able to gently glide down the entire slope without falling – although I wasn't very quick, I was in control.Ìý

Since that day, snowboarding has become something I regularly return to and endeavor toÌýimprove upon. By no means am I naturally good at this sport – after 4 years of snowboardingÌýtwo/three times per season, I still fall regularly and still don't go as fast as I'd like to, butÌýto look back upon the improvement and growth I've had since then is immensely satisfying. The feeling of the wind rushing against your face while gliding down a slope is exhilarating and immensely freeing – especially knowing that I've conquered so many obstacles to get to that point.Ìý

Snowboarding has taught me that sometimes the most rewarding experiences come not fromÌýthe activities we naturally excel at, but from embracing the struggle, celebrating small victories,Ìýand finding joy in the journey – a lesson that extends far beyond the slopes into every aspect ofÌýlife.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ÃÛÌÒapp Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –ÌýÌýto pitch your idea and get started! 

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