Growing Pains
By Emily, age 22, California
Sweet Designs Featured Writer
High school was a magical place for me, especially my junior and senior year of high school. I was a straight A student (with the exception of chemistry) with all kinds of hopes and dreams. I wanted to be a writer, a lawyer, a model, a humanitarian, and even very briefly an actress. I was young, impressionable, and thought I had grabbed life by the balls.
College was not so much the same attitude. I discovered alcohol, parties, and sex, but mostly all of the above. All those ambitions were replaced with tequila shots, the occasional hit of a joint, and a new extra-curricular: a new one-night stand every weekend.
So obviously I found myself in quite a mess. Outside of college they called me an alcoholic, whatever that's supposed to mean. And in an act of rebellion, I got all pierced up (probably mostly while drunk, who really knows). I also got herpes, which in my opinion really is the gift that keeps on giving. Plus, my grades really sucked. So instead of getting a Political Science and/or Business degree with a minor in French and/or Psychology and/or Communications, and becoming a modeling journalist who spoke French, I dropped out of school and worked in retail.
But it turned out to be the most important job of my life. I landed myself a job at Bare Escentuals, and how I'll never know because frankly I sucked at it. Really, I couldn't have sold coffee to a caffeine addict, not to mention that I couldn't apply makeup to save my life. Luckily enough, they were too desperate not to hire me. And after about six months of continually sucking at my job, somebody finally took me aside and told me so. And it sparked something that I hadn't felt since high school: inspired.
Later, when I stopped sucking at it, I realized how much I loved putting makeup on other people. Everything else just seemed to disappear when I put a brush to someone's face. Everything else just seemed to come easier after that. Yeah, not really. I still kinda sucked at selling, so I still had to work at that, but finally I'd found something I was passionate about.
So then I started getting freelance makeup work and that was pretty exciting. First, I landed a wedding, at which I pretended I'd done a million before that, and they believed it. Then, I landed a short film, and then an assistant job on a feature film. So then I decided, "What the hell? Why not go to school to do what I love?"
I even managed to land myself a boyfriend I can actually tolerate (and maybe even kinda like, but that's a big maybe). Yes, the commitment phobia girl landed a boyfriend and kept him for more than a week. Life really has turned around!
So now that I've found something that I love doing and doesn't take four years to finish up (I'm not a 4-year college kinda girl), I actually want to go to school! Who knew that was even possible? I'm even considering going back to school afterwards for an esthetician's licence.
Anyway, the point is that life happens in funny ways. Maybe things aren't going your way today; buck up, step back, and take a look at the bigger picture. Because really all that matters in life is having a career that makes you happy. That and pretty makeup and extra money. But that's it. Now go out and find what you're passionate about, 'cause if I can do it, so can you.
