I’ve always thought that to be good at something, you had to be naturally talented. To be a musician you need a skilled ear, to be able to hear what others can’t. To be an artist, you need a vision. I’ve learned that there’s so much more to it. You have to work at and for absolutely everything. You have to fail. No one is going to teach you step-by-step. There are no dummy books for life. You can search the entire internet, but be left without a single answer. You just have to do. 

I’ve always been afraid of commitment. I’m the eldest sibling in my family and failure was never an option. Everything I did, every decision I ever made, was done with 100% certainty. When I decided to attend UGA, I knew it was the right choice. It was close to home, it was cheap, my best-friends would be there, and my boyfriend at the time was only an hour drive away. When I chose to join Rotaract in college, I knew it was the perfect club. I had been Interact president in high school, I attended Rotary meetings and even went to a leadership award camp hosted by Rotary. I even chose economics for my major. (talk about cost benefit analysis) When it came to choose a career, a decision that will loom over my head for eternity, I was stumped. It was a mixed feeling. On one hand, I was really excited because unlike other immigrant parents, my parents gave me the freedom and support to choose a profession I was actually passionate about. The problem was, I just didn’t know what it was. I was faced with a vast endless field of opportunity, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t understand why. What it because I was afraid that if I took even a tiny step forward, I wouldn’t be able to find my way back if I got lost along the way? It’s ironic, because I’ve always been the spontaneous one out of my friends. But, maybe I just liked the idea of it. I was too afraid to actually do anything about it. 

So, I’ve decide to just do. Funny thing about reaching your mid 20s is that I no longer care about what people think to the extent I did back in college. I don’t sit and just think anything for longer then a few days. I’ve purchased items on somewhat of an impulse. I’ve been into calligraphy lately because it’s been a form of therapy for me at work. Whenever I work for 4 hours, I would find myself doodling little quotes on my legal pad. It felt awesome. I forgot how great it was to actually think outside of the box and get a little creative. The other day I went on amazon and purchased some TomBow pens. I just received them in the mail + they are SO FUN! I’m still struggling to figure out how to use them, but I realized that’s the fun of it. I’m so sick and tired of trying to portray this perfect image of myself. It’s not real. Let’s face it, I probably suck at calligraphy at this point, but if I enjoy it who’s to tell me I can’t just enjoy it?

One of my dearest friends made me realize this. She probably doesn’t even know it, but her passion for fashion + the arts moved me. So, if you’re interested in something, even just a tiny bit, take it a step further. Don’t be afraid to fail because if you enjoy it failure is just an obstacle not a feat.

-Celine