By Caleb Elliott
Dozens of filthy dishes fill the sink. Residue from different ingredients clutter on the countertops. Timers ring and alarms beep. For some this chaos may not be settling to them, but for senior Elaine Hardman this is her getaway.
Hardman is like most seniors, enjoying her time in school, passing classes, and planning for college in the coming year. But what separates her from most is how she gets through it all.
Since her mom has begun baking, Hardman has found herself concocting different baked goods in the kitchen as well.
“I make a lot of macaroons. I like making different pastries and what not, but I’ve tried to get away from making cupcakes and cakes because they’re kind of easy to make,” Hardman said.
Hardman finds herself getting in the kitchen to unplug after a long week of work at school, and she never gets tired of it.
“It’s honestly like a reset for me because you only have one thing to focus on,” Hardman said.
She not only finds her peace in baking but also in her friends. Senior Madalynne (MJ) Smith and boyfriend Riley Windsor are two of the people she believes have shaped her to become the person she is today.
“They’ve pushed me to do a lot of things and be more open with myself and other people,” Hardman said, “I used to be closed off to certain areas, but they’ve really helped me come out.”
She believes that it is important to have a hobby like baking to get on with a tough school schedule.
“I’m going to be studying computer science at (Indiana State University) and that’s a pretty tough topic,” Hardman said. “I think baking will definitely be something to help me refocus and keep myself calm during that.”
After college Hardman plans to continue her academic career and attend culinary school. She plans to sell different goods she’s making and is open to custom orders for graduation parties and any other upcoming events.
