RCS Alumni Reflect on College Life: Giana Aguirre – Johnson & Wales University

Riverdale Review: What field of study or major are you pursuing?

Giana Aguirre: I’m pursuing culinary arts, and if I continue with my last year (two years of college), I’ll be doing food and beverage industry management.

RR: Why did you decide to attend Johnson & Wales University?

GA: I applied to only four schools and all four were culinary schools. JWU stood out from all the rest of them. I wanted to explore culinary arts, but I also wanted a little variety in the people I would be surrounded by, and what the school had to offer. Johnson & Wales is a regular college and has liberal arts degrees and a variety of majors in addition to culinary.

RR: What do you think are the benefits and drawbacks of attending Johnson & Wales?

GA: I think one benefit is that it’s in Providence, which is a super cool city. It’s small enough that you can explore it and feel like you’re getting comfortable with it soon enough, but it’s big enough that you can have a good time. I think one of the drawbacks would be...I’m in a two year program for culinary. They offer four year, but within my program, you get a little less of an individual education and experience. They do a lot of group work, which is nice because you get to learn about collaboration, and you get to see other people’s ideas and creativity. But the one drawback is, not everyone gets to work on a certain food item. If we’re working with a rack of lamb or something, not every group will get to make that.. I know a bunch of other culinary programs offer a more individual approach.

RR: What surprised you most about college life?

GA: The shift from high school to college is like a push into adulthood, where you’re simultaneously figuring out adulting, you’re figuring out how to spend more time by yourself, you’re figuring out organizing your own schedule, you sign up for all your own classes.

RR: Did any of those things present a challenge for you during your first year at college?

GA: My first year at college was kind of difficult in the sense that I had gone to Riverdale since kindergarten. From my experience of being in the same school for my entire life, and then going to college, it was hard. Not because I couldn’t make friends, but because it was almost like I was starting from scratch. I had to meet a bunch of new people on my own. You start from one and you build, but it was mentally challenging to make that shift.

RR: How would you describe the social life at your college?

GA: I think the social life is pretty decent. As a culinary arts major, you get to see a lot of the same people and you start to make bonds with people. And because the classes are really hands-on—because you’re cooking and you’re in groups—it’s cool to make friends that way. There are also a lot of different organizations. I was part of the acapella group at Johnson & Wales called Cutting Edge. That was pretty cool.