The past few weeks have been pretty hectic with midterms, papers and uncertainty about the outcome of this year’s election. When school gets stressful, it’s hard to find ways to relax without feeling unproductive or overwhelmed by the tasks that need to be done. I often feel distant from my roommates and friends because I’m so focused on work. But this midterm season, I decided to make a change. I grabbed some tools, a couple of friends, ingredients from my pantry and my Food Network knowledge and got to baking.
To me, there is something very therapeutic in the precision and process that goes into baking. It’s very satisfying to watch ingredients come together into batter or dough and watch the baked goods rise in the oven. Baking keeps me busy and gives me some time to forget about college stress and focus on the recipe. I also found that baking in my downtime helped me avoid the usual emotions of guilt and laziness I usually feel when I take breaks from work. I have something to show for the time that I spent, and I am able to share my treats with my friends.
Baking is also so much more fun with friends. I am lucky enough to be living in an apartment right across the hall from my friends, making it easy for me to stop by and bake with them. In the middle of a stressful week, one of my friends reached out and asked if I wanted to make snickerdoodle cookies with her. Of course, I said yes because snickerdoodles are the best kind of cookie, but I also knew that baking would give me the chance to catch up with her and take a break from the screen. We baked, chatted and just relaxed for a while. The cookies were amazing, and our friends were very happy to help us finish them.
I also discovered that baking is a great way to show affection toward those you care about. I decided to bake a red velvet cake for my boyfriend’s birthday, and he was very appreciative that I was willing to take the time to bake a cake especially for him. On Halloween, I made pumpkin cookies for my friends who were hosting our pod for a small Halloween gathering, and they were a hit. And surprising my friends with my grandmother’s banana bread (sorry, I can’t share the recipe, it’s a family secret) always ends well.
So the next time you’re feeling stressed out, grab some sous chefs and start baking. Whether you’re a beginner or pro, I promise that you will feel better after spending some time in the kitchen. And your friends will love you for it, too.