Rachel—stylish, funny, with loads of friends. No, I’m not describing Rachel Green from Friends; This is Rachel Ann Smith of Wakefield, MA, a senior at Framingham State University.
Being a fashion major, Rachel always had a passion for clothes and everything Vogue. Rachel has her father to thank for her unique style and ability to never outfit repeat; he introduced her to the world of thrifting. Young Rachel didn’t understand this phenomenon at first. “I’m giving my clothes away then what,” she thought. But, once Rachel realized that she could buy unique, name brand pieces at the fraction of the retail cost, she was hooked. Today, Rachel’s collection expands outside her closet and wardrobe onto an industrial strength clothing rack!
But, with this major comes stigma. “Oh, a fashion major? Why not choose a real major?” “So, all you do is flip through magazines?” These are just a few insensitive comments made to Rachel. But the strong woman she is, Rachel calmly explains the sleepless nights, hundreds of pages worth of essays, and the difficult exams that comes with being a Fashion major. It is just as rigorous and hard a path as any other.
Rachel is a self-proclaimed procrastinator. “Weeks after returning from Italy, I still hadn’t unpacked yet!” But, upon asking a close friend, Rachel can be described in three words: stylish, warm, and extremely hardworking.
Rachel has also heard from her family that she “lies around a lot.” But, being as involved as Rachel is —Dance club, Fashion club, Co-president of Her Campus Framingham, and working three different jobs including DSW, Ballard Designs, and the FSU bookshop—she deserves to indulge in some relaxation when given the opportunity.
Rachel will be walking at graduation this May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Design and Retailing with a concentration in Merchandising and a minor in Communication Arts.
In the coming years, Rachel sees herself in a big city like Boston or New York, and we have no doubt that she will get there, flashing her bright smile and bringing joy to others while chasing her dreams.