SCABs

Happiness is a bowl of Bolognese @petranandersson

By Petra Andersson

An average spaghetti Bolognese contains enough energy to keep you going through the night. However, to me, it contains about thrice the amount. I’ve just finished a bowl, and the scents of onions and wine still fly around – as well as five extra portions that I have absolutely no idea what to do with or were to keep. This food frenzy started off with an email from Marc.

Last week he wrote to us about the energy and general vibe that he felt when he entered SCA. He also wrote that there’s a difference between working long or working hard – or as I see it – working smart. That got me thinking because in term one I worked long rather than smart far too often. Somehow it’s just so easy to get stuck in routines and think that your work will be great if you only put some extra time into it and sit up a little bit longer. But usually, that’s not the case.

The fact is that we’re humans – not machines – and to us, energy comes in different shapes and forms. In term one I thought of energy as sleep and tried to go to bed as early as possible, but I somehow still felt tired when I woke up. Sleep can only do so much, and as humans, it’s absolutely vital to not only sleep and eat but also to recharge your batteries with inspiration, excitement and fun. Or collecting dots, as Marc use to say.

As I reflected on the email I realised that I sadly had been doing a lot less of the things I enjoy the most – like being silly in school, cooking and exploring this fantastic new city that I find myself in. Unfortunately, my suggestion to start a new tradition with a 3 o’clock dance routine was overruled by my fellow SCAers, as well as my idea to start each day by playing musical chairs. But it opened my eyes to what I need to gain energy and inspiration – being silly and having a laugh. It also brought to my attention that the culture at an agency is just as important as the work that comes out of it, and that is something I’ll carry with me as I start building up my portfolio and visit different agencies for book crits.

One other thing that gives me energy both as passion and fuel is food. I belong to the tribe of those who can spend minutes on picking out the perfect avocado or lime. During my time in London though, with a limited kitchen and limited time, I haven’t really cooked anything for a while. Depressingly many of my dinners consist of a bowl of cereal. Not the end of the world, but for a food lover as myself it means that I’ve taken out the sole thing that I love most of the day – making dinner and eating it solemnly while paying attention to every flavour that fills my mouth.

So today I decided not to go home straight after school. Instead, I went to two different stores, bought bay leaves, carrots and wine and made a bowl of Bolognese that made my mouth water and my heart sing. Hopefully, I’ll make a lot more of those this semester.

Related SCABs

Go back

Student Application

  • Fill out the Application Form below to be a part of our next Award-Winning intake.

  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
image