Amidst the hustle and bustle of lunch hour, a member of the canteen staff approached the press team, and spoke of gluten-free food with an element of vivacity akin to a kid in a candy shop, it was clear as day that this was a woman who loved her job.
Beneath the classic cafeteria lady hair net, Rance has worked in the hospitality industry, offering services from floral arrangements, to food catering. There is little she takes more pleasure in, than putting a smile on the faces of those around her; a passion she has made a 17-year career out of.
Rance manages a team of 43 people, putting lunch on the tables of IFS students, and over the past week, the delegates of every council that has had the pleasure of tasting the food her team has tirelessly provided. Apart from her role as an executive manager, she is also a mother. Both roles entail a healthy bout of criticism, to keep the team growing upwards, and her daughter, aware of her responsibilities as a citizen in this ever-evolving world. However, she spots a problem in the culture we all play a part in. Social media has become a breeding ground for users to inflict criticism upon others, and inherently, themselves. Which is why if there is anything she would like to impart upon the students she jumps out of bed to meet everyday, it would be to take every problem you face with a grain of salt.
“Problems will never go away, which is why you should spend your time thinking about how to solve it! People like to come to me with their problems, and I always say the same thing: “If you come with three problems, you better come with three solutions too!”
In a world with problems increasing and inherited, Rance believes that optimism is the most powerful weapon any member of the youth could benefit from. Despite the overwhelming evidence otherwise, no one lives with an inherent desire to make enemies. And so, there is genuine intent behind her words as she urges you to welcome every trial and tribulation into the future ahead of you, with the same warmth shining through in her smile—and her food.
