Kristen Ragasa '23 Recruiting Profile

Transitioning from pandemic isolation to my junior year of high school was exciting, and I eagerly joined various activities. I was the Student Body Secretary, a Teen College counselor, in four clubs, playing two sports, and taking college and dual credit classes. Though I savored being a part of these circles and managed to commit fractions of my time, I was stuffed. I had too much on my plate. Like overeating and being too full to enjoy the food, I was trying to be in too many things at once and was overloaded. I needed to refine my portion sizes so I could enjoy them again.

In Hawaii, a common enjoyable meal is a Japanese bento. “Bento” literally means “packed lunch” in Japanese. The combinations and portion sizes are carefully considered so the flavors complement each other, and the amount of food is not excessive. A bento is made with distinct types of food consisting of a carb, high proteins, and sides, including pickled or cooked vegetables. I decided to be a bento.

Bentos are not bentos if they do not include rice. Rice has a subtle flavor and is an essential foundation to build the bento. The rice in my bento is Christ. When eating a bento, the flavors and consistencies are all balanced by the presence of rice. I needed a firm foundation that is constant, which I found in Christ, whose love is inseparable from me. Rice is the “plain part” of the bento, but in actuality, it is the most important and unifying component of the meal, like my faith.

Along with rice, a bento is made up of high proteins, vegetables, and sides that all harmonize to create a delicious meal. It takes a continual process of trial and error to discover which flavors work together. I found that sweet, savory and tart are a triad of strong flavors that when put together will taste wonderful. Savory is a classic flavor; it takes time and effort to create a delicious meal, like playing basketball. Long term dedication is required to become a good basketball player. I have played basketball since the sixth grade. As a high school senior, I see how consistency plays a significant role in skill development. Likewise, cooking chicken katsu requires a consistent amount of panko evenly distributed, and the same cooking amount for each piece. Excellent execution takes time and consistency to develop.

During Junior year, I experienced the joy of learning a foreign language. It felt like pulling a daikon, a type of Japanese radish, out of the ground after not seeing the growth under the soil. Like eating fresh pickled radish, which is both sweet and tart, I discovered the sweet tartness of teaching my native language to Mioto, a Japanese exchange student that I housed as a senior. It was through personal experience that I realized my interests in teaching and language.

I am not one thing, but a combination of many. I am a bento.