Last Friday, April 28, 2017, was one of the best nights of my entire freshman year at BC. It had to do with a lot of things, like having fun with all of my close friends at least once during the night at my culture club VSA’s first formal, a GREAT concert, a chill afterparty, running around campus, and a sleepover. But, it started before the formal in one of my closest friend’s kitchen on Lake Street.

On the Tuesday or so before that Friday, I stumbled upon a Facebook video of Kimchi fried rice and corn cheese. You know, one of those flashy aesthetic videos with music and close ups and slow motion that you watch either to procrastinate or late at night when your stomach is aching with cravings and watching food videos is probably the worst thing you could do. Well, while I was supposed to be doing my homework, I instead sent that video to my friend Allison (who was probably procrastinating just like me since she responded a second later) and decided to make it with her that weekend. I was stoked.

She got the ingredients on Thursday, and on Friday, I went over with my backpack of clothes to change into for formal with extra energy flowing throughout my veins. I mean, can you blame me? I was going to cook delicious Korean food that I had been deprived of for so long. SO long. And it would be fun!!

Honestly, I don’t need to go into the process so much; it wasn’t that complicated. We cooked the vegetables and eggs, added cooked rice, kimchi, soy sauce, and other seasonings in the biggest pan that our other friend brought by. I’m used to somewhat sticky kimchi fried rice (not super dry and fried), so the others thought I put too much water, but I loved it. And, the flavor balance was just right so that it wasn’t too salty but still bursting on the tongue, so we were all happy. For the corn cheese, Allison and I both dislike mayonnaise and didn’t have it, so we just made it extra cheesy and buttery. When everything was cooked and scooped into a huge aluminum pan, we covered it with saran wrap while we got ready for the formal, allowing the steam to accumulate like a mysterious veil over our treasure.

Though we were late arriving at the venue, I still felt BOSS stepping in with my sharp heels and black slip dress on, carrying a shining tray of gourmet food. OK, maybe it wasn’t gourmet, but I was proud, and it showed because as soon as I set the tray down, I was begging people to come try it. Maybe I seemed a bit needy or extra as I watched each spoonful enter people’s tentative mouths, after which I asked with wide eyes, “Do you like it??” but seeing people pleasantly surprised and even excited to dig in for another bite filled me with ecstasy. Of course, I piled a plate for myself (two plates, actually). I thought I would eat even more (I hadn’t eaten all day), but I was surprised to find that bringing joy to and feeding my friends made me feel fuller already. That night, it’s true that everything else that unfolded really made it the special memory it was, but it certainly would not have started off so well without the chance to make and give what I love to those I love.