It's the first time ever in my life that I don't look forward to Fridays, and get excited that it's Monday again. I don't look forward to Fridays because that means my week of classes is done and I am that much closer to finishing my program. I cannot believe a month has already gone by and I am already missing school before it is even done. For me, going to school each day fuels me, because I am in an environment where I am excited to be in. Similarly, whenever I complete a cake for a customer and receive positive feedback, the reward for me is their happiness and satisfaction, and that alone makes all the sleepless nights and hours put into the cakes disappear. It is the consistent happiness I get from within that reminds me of how much I love baking and how important it is to listen to your heart.
For some, following your dream may not seem ideal or even realistic. I was also in that situation. After graduating from University, and studying something (Kinesiology) that was entirely different, it only made sense for me to pursue a career that was related to what I studied in. In my case, one door closed and another opened unexpectedly. About three years ago, I started making fondant cakes for my friends and family and posted my work on Facebook. I received many unexpected compliments and even had people asking me to make cakes for them. Slowly, I started taking orders and eventually, by word of mouth, I was making cakes every weekend along with my full-time job on the weekday. For me, this all happened at a very good time because I was in the middle of deciding whether to reapply for occupational therapy. But last minute, with the encouragement of my friends and family, I decided to drop the idea and apply for pastry school instead. This was scary but also fresh for me, as it would be my first real learning experience in the field. With the fondant cakes, Google and Youtube were my best friends for finding great resources for cake tutorials.
Going into this direction obviously comes with a lot of risks. For me, I wasn't ready to take on another 30k of student loans. I made a commitment to pay off my student loans first, and then save up another 30k for pastry school. This process took about two and a half years for me. Going to pastry school seemed like it was never going to happen because money was always in the way. I remember seeing this quote "Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." As silly as this sounds, I actually saved this quote onto my phone as a reminder for myself to not give up. Two and a half years later, I am finally in the pastry school that I had my eyes on. There is no guarantee if I will be successful in the field, but all I know is, the money and time I spent to get here makes it all worth it, even if the risks are high for my future.
Just wanted to share my experience with those who are struggling as well. It didn't come easy for me, but if you want it enough, go for it and you will thank yourself a million times :)
For some, following your dream may not seem ideal or even realistic. I was also in that situation. After graduating from University, and studying something (Kinesiology) that was entirely different, it only made sense for me to pursue a career that was related to what I studied in. In my case, one door closed and another opened unexpectedly. About three years ago, I started making fondant cakes for my friends and family and posted my work on Facebook. I received many unexpected compliments and even had people asking me to make cakes for them. Slowly, I started taking orders and eventually, by word of mouth, I was making cakes every weekend along with my full-time job on the weekday. For me, this all happened at a very good time because I was in the middle of deciding whether to reapply for occupational therapy. But last minute, with the encouragement of my friends and family, I decided to drop the idea and apply for pastry school instead. This was scary but also fresh for me, as it would be my first real learning experience in the field. With the fondant cakes, Google and Youtube were my best friends for finding great resources for cake tutorials.
Going into this direction obviously comes with a lot of risks. For me, I wasn't ready to take on another 30k of student loans. I made a commitment to pay off my student loans first, and then save up another 30k for pastry school. This process took about two and a half years for me. Going to pastry school seemed like it was never going to happen because money was always in the way. I remember seeing this quote "Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." As silly as this sounds, I actually saved this quote onto my phone as a reminder for myself to not give up. Two and a half years later, I am finally in the pastry school that I had my eyes on. There is no guarantee if I will be successful in the field, but all I know is, the money and time I spent to get here makes it all worth it, even if the risks are high for my future.
Just wanted to share my experience with those who are struggling as well. It didn't come easy for me, but if you want it enough, go for it and you will thank yourself a million times :)
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