“Not a Recipe, Just My Way”

How I found a hobby that quietly stuck with me

You might be wondering — is this blog about food or cooking, as the title says? Well, it’s not. I’m not a chef or anything close to that — just a teenager who randomly got into cooking. This is more about how I got interested in it and how it slowly became something I enjoy doing.

It all started when I was around 11. I used to annoy my mom (I still do) every time she cooked. I’d taste the food while it was being made, give comments, and interfere in the process like I knew what I was doing. What began like that slowly turned into helping her here and there.

Through all this, I found it kind of fun. I picked up a lot just by watching her. Later, I tried cooking on my own — sometimes a total failure, sometimes okay. But I kept doing it. Slowly, I started managing to cook properly, and people, mostly my family, said it was good.

My brother has eaten most of my cooking. Sometimes he just eats without saying much, sometimes he appreciates it. Either way, I like the part where I make something and people actually eat it.

Now it feels nice to cook, to taste what I made, and to serve it to others. It became a hobby — a relaxing time for me.

Why does it feel like that? I don’t really know. Maybe because it gives me space to explore, try different things, and enjoy it. Every time I do it, it feels new, and there’s always something to change or improve. That makes it interesting. And you know what — that’s just my way too. I like to explore things, be creative, not get stuck in one fixed way, and try out new cases, so it felt like something I connected with.

That’s what I wanted to say in this blog:
Find your own way of doing things — your own method, your own thought process. Do something that connects with how you are. It could be a hobby, a career, or anything. Just let it match your way of thinking and doing. Honestly, I think many hobbies we ignore could turn into real coping tools — even something like fixing a bike or sketching late at night.

“You don’t always find hobbies — sometimes they find you.”

It doesn’t need to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be what others expect. If it feels like something you like, something that connects with even a small part of you, then that’s enough. Maybe it won’t make sense to everyone, but if it gives you peace, makes you think, or lets you try in your own way, that’s all that matters.

Just like how this small cooking hobby matched with my way of doing things, I'd choose a career that connects with my way too. And maybe you can think about that too — whether it’s a career, a hobby, or something your life sticks with, let it be something that fits your way.

“Don’t just chase hobbies that look cool- find what makes you feel quietly proud. Even if it’s just one perfectly fried egg.”

Till next time — Amateur University, signing off.

What’s one thing you do just because it makes you feel like you, even if nobody notices?