Rachael Palinkas

Features editor

I can’t help it: I love convenience products. The idea that someone has done all the work for me and all I have to do is a few quick things and the product is ready to go is quite relaxing.

 I find that food products are the most convenient. Boxed dinners that ask only for a few items and 10-20 minutes have proved time-saving and don’t break the habits of laziness. Countless reasons to purchase convenience foods are abound; many even come in organic options.

But what about the reasons not to? As I have learned, and I’m sure you know as well, food that takes time and effort to make tastes better and gives a sense of accomplishment.

Food isn’t the only thing that saves time and energy. Other items save perhaps even more time, items such as clothing. Imagine if we all had to make our own clothing. Think about how much time that would take up and how “un-lazy” we would all have to be.

During Thanksgiving Break, I bought a sewing machine, something that I’ve wanted for quite some time, and,
finally, here it was! But now what? I had to go through the process of learning how to sew. It was something I was looking forward to until I realized how long it was going to take.

My mom knows how to sew, and I took advantage of my time at home as an opportunity to learn from her. She brought home a pattern for me that encompassed different techniques my mom felt would get me comfortable enough to take home my sewing machine and be able to do a few
different things on my own.

So it began. My journey to create a shirt was quite challenging, for a beginner, anyway.  But I pushed through, and, even though it was difficult and I really wanted to be lazy and I complained a bit, I finally completed my shirt.

I was proud of myself and thankful that my mom stuck through the
learning process with me.

Coming out of the experience, I have a greater appreciation for those that make their own clothing and for all those times my mom made my Halloween costumes instead of buying them.

In the end, I have a stronger desire to take the convenience products-at least those I can-out of my life. I may not be ready to make my own clothes, but at least I can take the time out to make food from scratch.

I feel like more people should conquer laziness and give time and effort to something new and challenging.