What Even is "Fun"?

"But.... what do you do for fun?"

I get that question a lot. I get a lot of questions a lot. Questions like, "You're how old?" (19), "You've been in college for how long?" (A year and a half- and I'll be getting my bachelor's in the spring), "You have how many spreadsheets on your computer?" (87, 46 of which relate directly to my plans for the future).

Almost all of my free time is spent dreaming about the future, of when I'll be a real "grown up" and have a "real" job and do "grown up" things. I research constantly. I have answers upon answers for nearly every question I've ever been asked, the "what are you going to do when..." questions, the "what are you doing now" questions. The only question I don't have an answer for is "what do you do for fun?"

The answer, I suppose, is depressing. I spend a lot of time on the internet, judging my Facebook friends and pinning articles on how to get the perfect winged eyeliner, a look I have never even attempted. I pride myself in my skill of sitting in front of a television for hours, binge-watching entire seasons of television shows. But I don't really do anything "fun", no hobbies meant to take up my time, nothing useful I can justify spending time on.

And recently, it's come to my attention that that might be an issue. Even my doctor has decided that I need to find some sort of constructive hobby, something where I don't feel like I'm just wasting time, and something not (entirely) based in the internet. In fact, he has even instilled a deadline in this quest for a hobby- November 1st. Of course, I've had all summer to come up with one. But I was busy
this summer- I needed to knock out another full semester's worth of classes. I couldn't possibly find a hobby.

A few weeks ago, I was on the phone with my friend discussing pancakes- one of the few foods I know how to make, albeit from a box. In fact, all of my "go-to" foods are like that- boxed mixes or pastas I can pour some kind of sauce on, meat that comes in bags pre cut that I throw in the oven and drown in dressing you'd find at a high school cafeteria. I have no idea how to cook. I only just figured out how to make popcorn on a stove and not in the microwave, and even in that I succeeding in burning almost every pot I own. In short- my Italian blood has not made me into some "natural cook". In fact, it's quite the opposite. Although, I must admit that I've never actually tried.

If in eight short months I'm going to be thrust into the "grown up" world I want so desperately to be in, I'm going to need those same "grown-up" skills. But even as hard as I try, no amount of talent at typing, filing, or tracking finances will help me if I can't cook enough to keep myself alive. Cooking is for grown-ups, after all.

So here lies the solution to my problem- I needed a hobby, had to find a hobby. I wanted it to be something productive, and being in college, something that didn't require me to spend any additional money, at least not too much. It needed to be something that I would be encouraged to do, and something I could be kept accountable through.

And that's why I'm here. This blog will make me hold myself accountable in the coming months. I will be posting my (likely disastrous) attempts at various cooking facets- from basic techniques to recipes. Hopefully, by graduation in May I'll be better at cooking than I am now!