Prompt: Write about a time when you realized that your perception of a particular food was based on a stereotype. Explain what the food was, what you originally believed about it, and where that belief came from. Then describe how your perspective changed after experiencing or learning more about the food. Be sure to include specific details about the moment your thinking shifted and what you learned from that experience.

 Prompt: Write about a time when you realized that your perception of a particular food was based on a stereotype. Explain what the food was, what you originally believed about it, and where that belief came from. Then describe how your perspective changed after experiencing or learning more about the food. Be sure to include specific details about the moment your thinking shifted and what you learned from that experience.

Prompt Response: A time when I realized that my perception of a particular food was based on a stereotype was when I first tried macarons. It was less of a perception based off a cultural stereotype, but instead movies and TV. I still remember seeing macarons in movies like minions and it being made out to to be this delicious dessert and something that should be savored and cherished. The reality is much further from that in my opinion. When I did eventually try them, they were... mediocre at best. My perspective definitely changed whenever I saw them, as I used to genuinely crave this thing that I had quite literally never even tried just simply because of the way all the media I saw presented it. It definitely made me much more apprehensive to form opinions on foods I hadn't tried after that point, which to be entirely honest is somewhat common sense; but I was a little kid at the time. I actually had a reverse of this situation with tiramisu.

Summary: I was sold the idea that macarons are this delicious dessert and in reality when I tried them they were subpar at best.

Reflection: I think little experiences like this while seemingly insignificant help to form larger ideas as a person's mind matures into adulthood; as they really do build the framework for larger social concepts and realities of the world we live in. There are many things people form strong opinions and feelings towards having never lived those realities or done those things. The concept and framework of the experience I had lives on. Many people say that the idea "money can't buy happiness" is false; until you put them in the life of a 35 year old man who has a multi-million dollar firm but his phones flooded with business calls, his wife's cheating on him, his kids have no respect for him because he's spent all of their childhood distant and on business trips in Bermuda, his extended family holds no real relationship to him and fakes kindness in hopes he'll give them money when they ask, and his life is terrible. You cannot truly form a opinion on most things until you've lived them or at least witnessed them.