Kent State's fashion merchandising program is within the top ten fashion merchandising programs in the country. Everyday I feel so blessed to be a part of such an amazing program and everyday I feel proud of myself for how far I've come. That's to say, it has been the furthest from easy. I know I'm not alone when it comes to the stress I feel as a fashion student, and I'm here to be the voice for other fashion students who may be feeling the same anxieties and fears as I am.
Our program is highly competitive. Granted, we are all taken care of and set up for success by our professors, advisors and other university administration. However, we have to a lot for ourselves in order to further our personal success and set ourselves apart from our peers. In this competitive atmosphere, I find myself comparing myself to my peers a lot. I find myself jealous and resentful that I wasn't able to do some of the things they were; not that I wasn't capable, but simply because it just wasn't happening at that stage of my life.
I really felt like that when it came to finding an internship. A lot of people in my program were able to relocate for internships or do them during a study away program. I'm happy for my peers who were able to do that, but as a self-supported college student with a family to take of, that was not something I was able to do. It makes me worry that I could potentially miss out on valuable industry experience, and without that experience I would never be able to compete with my peers or find a job.
It's taken a lot of soul-searching and, well, therapy to get me to realize that this is not necessarily the case. As corny as it may sound, it took a lot of reminding from myself and my therapist that my peers' success does not negate my own! I am successful and I have a pretty impressive resume, so I am not as hopeless as my anxiety tells me sometimes.
Being a senior is scary no matter what your major may be, and I know that other programs that require internships have students in them that are feeling the same way that I am, but I know that this will pass and I have what it takes to be successful in this industry. Plus, my boyfriend who works in sales always tell me that whenever he meets someone that was in the fashion program, they tell him that they love what they do and usually make good money.
That's pretty good odds, right?
Comments