Abhay Week #4 - The Daily Reset
Abhay Patel
Mrs. Smith
English 11AP
07 October 2026
Blog Q#1
Week 4
The Daily Reset - published (10/07 7:18 pm )
Coming home from cricket feels draining. So does coming home from school, work, a long class, or practically anything that keeps me out of the house for hours. Sometimes I think about why we even try to endure this pain of doing the same thing on repeat all the time? Anyways, every time I walk through the front door, I am ready to collapse onto my bed, find something to eat, watch a show, scroll through reels, take a warm shower, or just sit somewhere and let the exhaustion of the day settle. After a day with so much on my plate, I just want something on my plate, too.
Food has a remarkable way of doing that. It can take my mind away from everything that happened throughout the day, even if only for a few minutes. When I come home and see my mom in the kitchen, stirring something in a pot or the smell of baking something in the oven, my first thought is always, What am I eating today? Am I going to eat until I am full, or, if the food looks a bit sad or disappointing, can I somehow convince my parents to order something from outside that would save my evening from being a total letdown?
I complain about food more than I probably should. Most days, my family cooks at home, and I am grateful for it. But after a grueling cricket practice, seeing the same everyday Indian food can make me think, Really? This again? Come on. Yet when I finally get the food I am craving, my entire mood changes. Hot and creamy ricotta shell pasta, crispy tacos, burgers with fries, or honestly anything different can suddenly become the most irresistible thing in front of me. One bite can turn an exhausted, irritated version of me into someone who just wants to sink into the moment and enjoy it..
I think I have felt this way since five or six.
On long drives from Fremont to Los Angeles to visit family, I would sit in the backseat watching the miles slowly crawl by. I would be bored even when there was food in the car. Then, the second my family stopped at a gas station, I would frantically run inside, begging my parents for Cheetos or a chocolate milkshake. My sister would be doing the same thing, while my mom tried to settle the inevitable argument by telling us that we would have to share one.
Pringles or Oreos. Sweet or salty. Chocolate milk or Kool-Aid. Somehow, these tiny decisions felt like the most important things in the world.
But what I remember most is getting back into the car. My sister and I would laugh about something completely stupid, munch on snacks, listen to the radio, and watch cows and endless green grass pass by the window. The food made the drive better, but it was never really about the food.
Looking back, I realize food has become a part of my identity. It connects me to my family, my childhood, and the sense of comfort I look for after a long day. I can complain about what is sitting on my plate and still remember it years later. Maybe that is what makes food so important to me: it does not just fill my stomach. It gives ordinary moments a feeling that stays long after the last bite is gone.
Hi Abhay! Thank you for sharing your thoughts around food and how it connects to our identity! I understand exactly what it’s like to come home from a long day and only have what I want for dinner in mind. In fact, a lot of your writing really resonated with me. For example, you mentioning being sick of the “same everyday Indian food,” reminds me of how I got sick of my mom’s traditional dish of Chinese scrambled eggs and tomatoes. Sure, it was a dish I enjoyed a lot when I was younger, and I am grateful for all that my mom does, but it’s undeniable sometimes that I would really prefer Popeyes’ fried chicken over that dish. However, I think this really embodies my identity, and how I am truly still a teenager that has not fully matured yet—craving for something as unhealthy as fried chicken rather than a nutritious meal from my mom. More than that, your experience on the long drives from Fremont to Los Angeles also felt familiar, as I have a lot of family in San Diego that we often visit with drives as well! I remember one road-trip snack I could never live without is Dibs ice cream. Before, I thought it was because the ice cream itself was good, but after reading your blog, it made me realize that it was just ordinary vanilla ice cream covered in Crunch chocolate—what made it special was the fact that my mom would always buy that ice cream from the gas station for us to share.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading about your experiences, I have discovered we truly have a lot in common! It feels comforting knowing somebody can have such similar views as me. So, thank you again for your blog, Abhay!
Hi Abhay! I can’t tell you how much I relate to you on this one. Eating good food and getting refreshing drinks are among my weekly highlights; it’s what keeps me going, both physically and mentally. Like you, I’m also exhausted any time I come home from long hours outside, and when I’m greeted by the pleasant smell of takeout food, my day gets instantly better. This also makes me really appreciate my mom, who’s always the one picking up or preparing food that’s ready for me the moment I get home from school. Everyday at school, I know I can look forward to going home, relaxing, and eating yummy food; at this point, it's one of the constants in my life. I find it cool that you feel the same way! I really like how you described the food that you were craving and how it impacted your mood—it allowed me to picture a clear image of what you were saying.
ReplyDeleteYour outline of your road trips brought back so much nostalgia for me, too. I also remember stopping at gas stations with my friends and family and buying snacks, candy, and slushies to fill my stomach during long drives. The tiny decisions you talked about hit home with me as well. I look back now and laugh, but at the time and even when I’m ordering food and drinks now, it feels like a comically difficult decision, especially when I’m stuck in a dilemma between two options that I want. I’m sure many of us can relate to this, and I think that it may reveal a deep root that food has in our identities, although I may just be overthinking this. Regardless, your point about food being more than a source of energy resonated with me; instead, it’s something that we universally enjoy with friends and family and make wholesome memories with. Thank you for telling us about your reflections of how food affects your identity, both now and in the past!
Hi Abhay! I really enjoyed reading your blog as you created something ordinary like eating food feel meaningful and personal. I specifically liked how you vividly described food with words like "remarkable" and "hot and creamy," "crispy." I relate to your road trip to Los Angeles story, as I often go on road trips with my dad and brother, where the fight for snacks becomes intense. I think adding this story to your blog made it more relatable and vivid through story telling. Your claim that food is a part of your identity stood out to me because it shows how food can connect the people we love and the memories we make with them. It has always fascinated me how cultures are everchanging, but there is some food that unifies all people and genuinely brings peace. Your blog also made me realize that small details like eating your favorite meal after a long day can change the trajectory of our mood more than we realize. I also often wonder if, like me, other people associate specific ingredients and dishes to not just the people who have cooked them, but the memories of everything revolving around that meal. Overall, I really enjoyed the way you connected examples of meals to stories from your childhood to conclude that food is a part of your identity.
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