Meet Secretista Dara Adeeyo '11!

She's an RA, a blogger, an intern for Conde Nast, President of two on campus clubs AND finds time for a social life. Who is this super woman?
Meet Dara Adeeyo; an incredible multitasker with a passion for fashion and magazines. I would call her a fashionista, but to quote her blog, "I'm not a Fashionista, I'm a Secretista."

(& Yes, that is Dara with Lauren Conrad from The Hills)

What's your major?
Print Journalism

Why did you choose print?
I've always wanted to work in magazines and I knew that this was one of the ways I could get to that goal. I also believe that magazines are probably the number one way to get into a teen girl's mind and I want to be able to affect teen girls in a positive way and be a really good role model like Atoosa Rubenstein was to me.

What are some internship experiences you've had? Where are you currently interning?
My first internship was the summer after my Freshman year (Summer 2008) at a website called First30days.com, then Seventeen Magazine (Fall 2008) in the Fashion Closet, where I realized I wanted to chase fashion journalism and not just online journalism. I then interned at House Beautiful magazine (Spring 2009) in the web department (I thought it was important to learn how a mag's website operates). I held various positions (from features editor to accessories director) for an online start up college fashion magazine called JAYE (http://issuu.com/jaye) for a year (summer 2008-summer 2009) while interning at First30days, 17, House Beautiful and Teen Vogue. I've been at Teen Vogue since May 2009. I am the Online Intern.

After you graduate, what do you hope on becoming?
I want to be a mix between Anna Wintour and Stacy London with a dash of Carine Roitfeld. The strong-willingness of Anna, the lovable spunkiness of Stacy London and the boldness of Carine. Anna has so much power over the fashion and publishing industry because she knows what she is doing. Point blank. The woman is a genius and I admire her for sticking with her instincts when it comes the decisions she makes with Vogue. I want to be like Stacy London because being a fashion expert is something I would love to call myself one day. I love giving people advice on things to wear that will make them look better. I want to be like Carine because I once read in an interview of her that she likes to hear other peoples opinions when it come to putting French Vogue together. I'm just like that. I may know what I want but I do appreciate insight and thoughts from others on my work. Also, she is bold with the decisions she makes in french vogue (see: http://www.secretista.com/2008/07/tuesdays-thoughts-to-fur-or-not-to-fur.html or the most recent one http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/04/crystal_renn_poses_nude_for_fr.html).

I want to be a fashion icon. I want to impact the fashion and publishing world like no other. I want to be at the forefront of the great change that is going to happen in both industries media wise.

I started reading your blog, Secretista.com a few weeks ago. When did you start and for what reason?
I started my blog in December of 2007. I've been a blogger since I was 10. From a live journal to a xanga I had it all. I always loved the internet. I'd make my own website on aol's hometown or geocities. I considered a really good Saturday building a website and showing it off to my friends on aim. I realized that blogs/websites (personal ones) were a great way to keep your friends in the loop of your life whether they were near or far. I started Secretista because I was frustrated with my life. I was a freshman in college as an undecided pre-med major, who was on the verge of a breakdown because I hated science with a passion and didn't know how to tell my parents that I didn't want to become a doctor. I also wanted to have a blog that focused mostly on fashion. All my other blogs were just about my life. And voila, it took off from there. I started doing mostly outfit posts because I was curious about what my style was and then I just started talking about my view on fashion. Lately, school and my internship I've gotten in the way of me actually being able to update as frequently as I used to. If you go back to a year and a half ago, you will see that I post something almost every day. Relating what happened to me that day to the outfit I wore.

What campus activities are you involved in?
President & Co-Founder, Hofstra Fashion Club
Fall 2009—Present
Senior Editorial Editor, Hofstra Chronicle
Fall 2009—Present
President, Ed2010 Hofstra Chapter
Fall 2009—Present
Assistant Editorial Editor, Hofstra Chronicle
Fall 2008—May 2009
Resident Assistant, Hofstra University High Rise Living Area
Fall 2008—Present
Mentor, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Long Island
Fall 2007—Present
Student Ambassador, Hofstra University Undergraduate Admissions
Fall 2007—Present
Editor, Nexus: Hofstra University Yearbook
Fall 2007—May 2009

How do you find time for all of your activities, internship, and your blog? Do you still maintain an active social life?
It's all about balancing and having a planner. Oh. And accepting the fact that you will not get any sleep... ever. Only on the weekends will I get to sleep in. But even then I only get one day to do that and that day is Sunday (if I decide to not go to church in the morning and go to a night service). I work 9am-2pm on Saturdays. I do have a social life. I don't have the typical college social life because I don't enjoy going out and getting drunk. In fact, I didn't have an alcoholic beverage until my 21st birthday. Most of my friends are busy like me so a lot of our free time is spent hanging out in one another's rooms on campus or at their house if they live off campus. Going out to eat is a big thing for my friends and me. Or grabbing lunch together to catch up on life.

Although you're not graduating this semester, what do you recommend the current seniors do after graduating?
Start looking for a job!! Be open minded to what jobs you apply for. It's not all the time your first job out of college will be your dream job! My philosophy is you have to eat dirt before you can sip champagne.

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
In the next 10 years I'd like to be doing one or more of the following: getting ready for marriage, working at a magazine I love (*cough*teen vogue*cough*), possibly being one of the co-creators of a site that takes off, being an author of multiple books, enjoying life, my family and friends, and hopefully traveling. I'd also love to design shoes. I'd also love to start a charity that helps teen girls or may be my native country Nigeria.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
California. I've never been!!

Who are some of your idols/role models?
My mother and father. They are the greatest hustlers on Earth I know. It's probably where I get my work ethic from. As a kid I hated that my mom and dad would work so much, but I've come to learn that it was to benefit my older brother and I.

Atoosa Rubenstein (http://www.secretista.com/2009/07/follow-your-own-path.html). She is one of the main reasons I am going into magazines. The way her Letters from the Editor influenced and impacted me is the same thing I want to do.

Marc Brown. I love the Arthur books. I still watch the show. I love how educational and fun the books and shows are. I want to be an author just like him.

If you want to see Dara's blog, click here!