Thursday, October 18, 2007

Kicked Out Of Culinary School

I guess I don't really know where to begin. It's been far too long since I have sat here and dealt with myself, it feels unnatural.

For the past few weeks I have been in the preverbial corner, thinking about what I've done wrong. The adminstration at my school didn't see fit to let me take classes this term due to my own, admittedly less than perfect record. True, I have had my educational barriers and shortcomings, as many my fault as external, but as of recent, I had been doing much better. The disciplinary act itself was more a scare tactic than anything else. The administration holds the point of view that if I am suspended for doing poorly and am forced to start paying back my loans, I will see that I can't abuse the money that isn't mine to begin with, so that when I come back I will work harder to secure my standing in school and I won't lose loans at the same time. I guess I can see where they're coming from, but ultimately, as a stubborn and free willed person, the decision to do well in school can only be mine, and threats, or any other manor of deterrance will not be a factor. Here I am though, half way through my suspension period, and what I realize is that this is a catch 22. What the Sullivan University administration is trying to demonstrate is that by doing poorly, I am wasting money, but the truth is, that by going to Sullivan I am wasting money, and more than just that, I am wasting borrowed money, coupled with my time, my effort, and my energy.
What I expect out of a culinary school, or any other school, is an education worth paying for, by which I mean, something more than I could achieve on my own. I want to be taught be those better and smarter than me, so that I may gain more knowledge than I started with. I want to be challenged regularly, and taught to think quickly and adapt to any given situation.
The more time I spend away from school, the more it becomes clear to me, that Sullivan was not the right fit for me, or for Sullivan for that matter. The School wants someone who will be happy with the bare minimum, and I want more than that. It's best that we parted when we did Sullivan, otherwise it could have ended much worse. I could have walked away with just barely enough knowledge to get a lower paying job than I have now. My debt to you is far surpassed in zeroes than in accredidation. Thank you Sullivan, but I can watch all the Food Network I want now, since I'm not allowed to go to class, and it won't take up the time of the professor to cue up the VCR. I can read my text books and pass the state certified Sanitation Exam, rather than stay up late searching for a four letter word in my seek and find homework. I can work in a restaurant that seats 300 at a time, rather than stand by casually and watch someone painfully stack an entree into artsy towers for their dining room of 30. Maybe one day, Sullivan, you and I can look back and laugh, maybe, when I don't owe you any more money. Though, somehow, I don't think the debt you've accrued to me, will ever be paid. I must say, I learned a lot from you Sullivan, yet, none of it was outlined in my course catalog, and I don't think it will amount to any transferrable credits, but our time was not entirely wasted I suppose. Thank you Sullivan for giving me this valuable time of self discovery and introspection, I think it has served us both to our advantage.



Um, okay, I think that turned into bitter rant in even less words than I thought it would. Oops.

2 comments:

Don said...

Don't keep us in suspense! This is your first bleedin' post in months!

Don said...

That wasn't all that rant-y, really... You found a school that was one in name only, discovered the truth of it before it was way too late (merely too late instead) and walked away the better for it. Perhaps you'll have better fortune with the next school - there are better ones.

Hey, it could be worse. My brother went to CIA, graduated, and he's working - as an electrician.