When I would tell someone what I wanted to be when I was young, it's like they were expecting me to say something typical. When I say typical I mean a doctor, lawyer, nurse, police officer; the daily careers that many people want to be a part of. In my opinion these are the most important careers, but my path is just as important as those.

I chose to join the fashion industry because it's been inficted in my brain for as long as I can remember by what I was drawn to. Months ago I read old letters I wrote in elementary school claiming I wanted to be an artist. I've always been artistic. I loved to draw, renovate old clothes, and wear anything thay I've never seen someone in. This drew fashion.

My main influence of being in the fashion industry was my great grandma. My granny was the best! She's the one who showed me how to color inside the lines in my coloring book or how to think outside the box and be different. Anything is possible. She made me outfits, gave me dolls, new coloring supplies and she always drew me pictures. You wouldn't ever catch my granny somewhere without her makeup on; she definitely started the diva in me as well, I won't walk out the house in pjs. She's just was the one who I wish was here to help me today. Fashion merchandising is my major right now and when it comes to classes or just minor pep talks, I could use them from her.

Throughout my life I started teaching myself how to sew by hand and now I think I mastered it. The biggest item I made by hand was a t-shirt; took me hours, well days! My first year of college, each semester I had a sewing class where I learned the sewing machine well enough and that was my favorite class every time. I made items that I figured would be difficult but were more simple than they seemed.

I made this for a charity.

This sweatshirt was one of my favorite items.

This was a recycle project. I love bags and purses!

Besides sewing, doing fashion shows and meeting or networking with people in the industry is the best. The shows are chaotic but I love the rush. I've dressed models in a few fashion shows and each is more fun than the last.

And sometimes the styles are unique but not what you'll wear on the regular. My model was gorgeous though.

Also, who doesn't love shopping and following up on trends or famous people to see what and who they're wearing? I love it!

Long story short, being a part of the fashion industry is fine. I shouldn't be questioned more because it isn't a safe career. I believe I should be praised because I have enough courage to do what I've always wanted to do. I don't know where I'm exactly going, but so far this field hasn't lost my interest. I've told you where I started and I'm still continuing because this is what I'm interested in and what I feel comfortable in. I mean I hate blood, I don't want to fight because who wants to break a nail; those typical careers don't fit me and I'm ok with that because it's more out there.

For everyone who's told me that I'm "too smart" to be in the fashion industry or I could do better, you should know that there is so much more that goes into your clothing than sewing. Someone has to predict the trends, someone has to take the fibers to turn into yarn to turn into fabric, there's a process and trust me it's not easy! I wouldn't have so many fashion courses if a fly could do it in a heartbeat. Without fashion there's no expression through clothing and well, we would all be naked without clothing. My major doesn't have to be important to you. It's my life and it's important to me. I'll continue to do what makes me happy and fashion does!