Oxtails with Gravy

Dear York students,

If you follow me on IG or LinkedIn, you know that this was about to happen: a weekly message about… you guessed it: Oxtails.

This week I am excited to share with you that I tried oxtails for the very first time.  Yes—for the first time. And let me say upfront: they were pretty good. 😊

What made the moment even more memorable was the reaction I got when I shared this with some folks afterwards. There was genuine shock. After all, I was born and raised in the islands, and I am Jamaican (by marriage).  For many people, oxtails are not just a meal—they are tradition, memory, and culture on a plate.  As much as I like to eat I am not sure why it took me so long.  Maybe it was because the word "oxtail" (as in a tail of an ox) turned me off, which is odd because I can’t get enough of curry goat🙄.  But I digress…

What I know is that in life there is always more to discover, more to experience, more to learn and more importantly there is no place better than college to lean in.

Lean into new ideas, new ways of thinking, new subjects, new leadership roles, and new friends.

We are almost at the end the of the semester, but it is not too late to lean in and try something new.  If you usually wait until the last minute (August) to register for classes, register this week. If you typically sit in the back of the class, sit in the front row. If you have never done anything on campus besides, go to class or the library, check out the York Calendar and attend an event like our Earth Day Celebration on Tuesday. 4/28 @ 2pm.  We will be planting flowers around the campus. Or try talking to someone outside your usual circle. You may discover that you have a lot in common.

My message to you this week is that sometimes the thing you’ve been missing out on turns out to be pretty good.

Have a great week!

President Schrader

P.S. Let me know what you tried!  What you have never tried! Or what you want to try!