If it’s a small world, then it’s a smaller Bethlehem. Here, we all have our waffles - problems to chew, decisions to ponder - and we just might find that if we take time to learn about others, we will learn about ourselves in the process. After all, we are each other’s teachers, young or old, each other’s students, confident or questioning, each other’s neighbors, regardless. Now, let’s dig in to some scrumptious food for thought.

Jack Fried is 19, college-bound, and caught in a whirlwind of emotions. He has lived in Bethlehem for 15 years, but his address was about to change to that of a dorm at the University of Pittsburgh.

“Moving to a bigger city, five hours away, is a change-up,” he said. “You don’t realize how used you get to a setting. There’s a sense of familiarity to even a new experience here.”

On the contrary, in Pittsburgh, he will be confronting a “much bigger sense of the unknown than usual.”

Nevertheless, Jack said his sense of excitement “overrules all else.” He can’t wait to become more independent, do something to set up for the rest of his life, and meet new people.

Of course, Jack understands that college will present a challenge. He will play saxophone in the Pitt Varsity Marching Band, and his classes are rigorous, a circumstance dictated by his current desire to become an engineer. He is ready to tackle the workload, though, acknowledging that he will have to depend on himself more than usual.

Luckily, he spent high school being busy. He motivated himself to play sax in various Freedom HS ensembles, run cross-country and play tennis, earn stellar grades, and generally get what he called “the full high school experience.”

His one regret is that he “never really stopped to take it all in,” which is why he intended to relish his remaining time at home. His last two weeks were fitting for a Bethlehem-style sendoff, what with Musikfest, which he called “one-of-a-kind,” then being in full swing. Jack loves music, and EVERYONE loves free music.

“You kind of take Bethlehem for granted,” he says.

One paramount priority topped his list for those remaining days: “Seriously, although it sounds corny, I want to cherish literally every instant I have with my friends and family.”

Bethlehem is already in Jack’s rearview mirror, but this phenomenon doesn’t seem to overwhelm him. On the topic of his future, Jack simply laughs and says, “I guess I’ll see where it takes me.”

What with this new chapter in his life and Pitt’s expansive breakfasts, it is safe to say that for Jack, there are more waffles to come, but he is ready to embrace them. And, if he is lucky, his favorite strawberry glaze will be there to go on top.