For the past six months or so, I have dedicated my life to all areas of fashion, and I have a few experiences which have stuck out throughout these months. While sitting in the warehouse with a Starbucks, feeding my fabric pieces into the needle of the sewing machine, I often reflect on my achievements in this industry.

While returning to campus after dressing models in New York City at New York Fashion Week, I dived right back into my fashion assignments, being reunited with the warehouse I practically live in.

I have noticed as a fashion major, that over time, I truly have learned I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I have been able to uncover my love for the entire fashion industry, whether through constructing garments, designing garments on fashion sketches, or attending NYFW to see what the backstage aspect of the industry is like.

It is the most rewarding feeling to spend months of your life running on little-to-no sleep, feeling at times like the exhaustion might take you over, yet uncovering some of the best experiences possible in the industry of fashion. On top of that, creating garments you’re incredibly proud of is the most rewarding aspect to me in the end.

Often in a major like this one, others find it difficult to consider the amount of work, stress, fatigue, and energy it requires. The dedication needed for this major is extreme, yet when it is time to present my final projects, I look at my work and am able to see the weeks of sleepless nights paying off in the perfected garments.

I always consider myself lucky to be in one of the most rewarding majors—understanding that this hard work is all part of doing something I am in love with.

Being a fashion major, you’ll learn so much about yourself. You’ll learn how to work yourself to your best potential, how rewarding it is to dedicate so much energy and time to something you’re so proud of, and you’ll truly begin to visualize yourself in your future in the fashion industry.

The best feeling ever is taking a step away from the craziness of fashion, and realizing all you want to do is return back to it. I find myself away on vacations or quick weekend trips, and missing the feeling of achievement from designing clothing that I am so proud of.

All-in-all, being a fashion design major is hectic, for sure, but it’s the best kind of hectic there is.