Change is an inevitable part of life. Some things change for the better, and others change for the worse. The fact of the matter is that things, including people, will inevitably change. We as humans change on a daily basis as we are faced with the task of transforming ourselves to meet the challenges that arise in our lives. I, along with many others, see the end of the school year as a time for reflection; a time to look back on the things I learned and experienced over the last several months, and to see how the different facets of myself have been altered.
My sophomore year of college brought on a multitude of personal alterations. With my wounds still fresh from my first, real break-up, I kicked off the school year by taking a leap of faith and changing my major to Fibers. This has proven to be one of the greatest and most fulfilling decisions I have ever made. I had no idea that I could be so passionate about something, and I am blessed in that I get to spend every day doing something that I love so dearly. I have learned an unbelievable amount this year, and cannot believe how far I’ve come in such a relatively short period of time.
In a different vein, my style has transformed in many ways, as well. This year was filled with many fashion firsts for me. I pierced my nose, chopped my hair the shortest it has ever been, wore dark purple lipstick, took out my nose ring, cut my hair even shorter, and embraced the fact that pants are not the constrictive, death traps I had thought them to be. I found comfort in the simplicity of black and white ensembles, and learned that wooden earrings shaped like parrots are always a good idea. I also ditched the purple lipstick for one of the traffic cone orange variety, and the result was much more flattering. By daring to venture outside the realm of my usual wardrobe, coincidentally, I learned a lot about myself.
These little vicissitudes may not amount to much in the grander scheme of things, but for me they were baby steps towards a bigger goal: changing the way I see myself. I have always marched to the beat of my own drum, but that does not mean that more than a handful of people haven’t expressed that they did not enjoy the tune. I spent so much time and energy trying to be the person that I was expected to be. I was held to such a high standard, and lived in constant fear of disappointing those around me. I held my tongue, and politely did everything in my power to please others. Since I came to SCAD, particularly this past year, I have developed a confidence unlike any I had previously felt. I’ve cultivated my aesthetic as a designer, and begun to develop my own voice, along with the boldness to proclaim it with pride and assuredness. I’ve had my ups and downs, my highs and lows, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I know that more challenges await me in my remaining five quarters at SCAD. I am excited to see how these will influence my life, and continue morphing me from the person I am, and into the person I am meant to be.