I believe that everyone can find their own passion and purpose. For each person, it will be different. Some of us may have had a particular passion in kindergarten and now we no longer have that interest. Some of us might still be searching for our passion or purpose. Many people are still figuring out their passions even as adults.

In my case, I don’t really know what my purpose will be yet, but I do know that one of my passions right now is baking. Every little kid likes to bake. They like picking out a fun recipe, mixing the ingredients, and especially licking the bowl covered in raw batter. When I was younger, one of my favorite activities was making brownies from a Betty Crocker mix. Sometimes, it was even a reward, and when I came home from a doctor’s appointment I would get to bake brownies with my mom. For many kids, the magic of baking goes away and it becomes less exciting. However, that was not the case for me when it came to baking. I actually developed a true love for baking. I checked out cookbooks from the library, created my own cookbook collection, and acquired my own equipment including piping tips, a stand mixer, gel food colorings, sprinkles, and more. Eventually, I was able to bake on my own without my mother’s help.

Baking became an important part of my life. I began baking for all kinds of events. For example, for my Mom’s Boston Marathon fundraiser I offered to bake little blue and yellow cupcakes. When friends would come over, our go-to activity was baking some type of cookies or muffins. In fifth grade, my birthday party was held at a bakery called Party Favors. At the party, we had the opportunity to learn how to decorate cupcakes from the head chef John, and he showed us how to pipe cute little penguins, roses, and floral designs out of frosting. I was amazed by how quickly John was able to create a flawless flower in just seconds, and I even bought the piping tips he recommended so that my cupcakes would be as amazing as his. There was a phase where my favorite thing to bake was cupcakes and I would make them almost every weekend. Still, to this day there is a cabinet in my kitchen dedicated to cupcake gadgets and sprinkles. This definitely highlights my love of striving for perfection while being creative at the same. And it helps if it tastes good too.

Now, I am interested in other types of baking and I enjoy baking all kinds of things such as sourdough bread, lemon bars, and carrot cake. I loved watching the TV shows Zumbo’s Just Desserts, Cake Wars, and my favorite The Great British Baking Show.

  If you’re not familiar with The Great British Baking Show, it’s a baking competition where a group of amateur bakers compete against each other to create amazing baked goods. After each episode, one contestant gets eliminated. Once there are only three contestants remaining, it’s the finals, and one person is declared the winner. I’ve noticed how almost always, the winner of the Great British Baking Show is the most creative and authentic person out of the bunch, and they are willing to work hard to achieve their goals. 

Each episode of the show has three challenges that test the bakers’ skills in different ways. I’d say that each of these challenges is a metaphor for some of the challenges in life. The first test is called the Signature Challenge, where the contestants are required to create a baked good such as meringue cakes, brownies, or madeleines. It’s called a Signature challenge because the bakers use flavors and techniques that they are familiar with in order to create their signature item. There are some basic requirements, but the contestants can choose whatever recipes, ingredients, and designs they would like. This first challenge can be viewed as a metaphor for life. Whenever we’re faced with a challenge we tend to solve it by using our strengths and techniques that we are familiar with. When finding your passion or purpose, you should try to think about your strengths and what you truly enjoy doing.

The next test, the Technical Challenge, is a contest where the bakers are given a mystery recipe with minimal instructions that they have to complete within a short amount of time. Sometimes the baked good is something none of the contestants have ever heard of or made before, like Sussex Pond Puddings, Matcha Crepe cake, or even a Chocolate Babka. To succeed in a Technical Challenge, the contestants must have acquired lots of technical knowledge and experience in different types of baking. It’s typically quite difficult and requires the contestants to remain confident under stressful circumstances, and also make decisions about how the recipe should be interpreted. By using previous knowledge and gaining new experiences, we can persevere through tough situations and end up creating something amazing. Like Raspberry and Salted Caramel Éclairs! For taking on a challenge like this, it is key to be resilient and have the ability to move forward after making mistakes. Similarly, life does not always go the way we plan, and the path to finding one’s passion will most likely not be straightforward. 

Finally, there’s the Showstopper Challenge, which gives the contestants an opportunity to showcase their most impressive talents and skills. The final product is expected to be a true masterpiece and taste great. Some showstopper challenges have included “25 Mini Cube-shaped Cakes”, a “Colossal Dessert Tower”, and a “3D Biscuit Sculpture”. Likewise, once someone finds their passion, they should use their skills to create something amazing that benefits others and their community. It doesn’t have to be one specific thing, like a cake, but rather something that contributes to the world in a positive way.

Life is like a complex recipe. There are steps that most people choose to take, and some that people feel are optional. People can choose whether they want to stick to the plan or not, and neither path is right or wrong. They’re just different ways to discover your purpose. The recipe is definitely not straightforward, and for some people, it might take some time for them to truly understand what they love. As Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." I’m still at the beginning of my path, and while I do not know what my purpose will turn out to be, I’m excited for the future.