Today, I’m packing up my bags and jetting off far, far away… to the City of Lights and Love, the home of espresso and croissants, and to a world of history and art, to my new home, sweet home—Paris. As excited as I am to explore this unfamiliar world of curated culture, to live and breathe all things French, to learn by submersing myself in the unknown, I am even more proud than excited. And before you think I’m flaunting or bragging, let me explain it all a little bit first, and maybe you’ll feel a little proud too.

It all started 4 years ago. When I so suddenly decided I wanted to major in merchandising at the University of Texas. Little did I know I was signing up for a half pre-med degree in the College of Natural Sciences just to simply study…. fashion. It also started 4 years ago, when I learned that how I dressed spoke a very strong message to the world. I also learned (4 years ago) that the way to get there was working hard for the things that represented me to the outside world. This is when I started working a college job at Kendra Scott. Now, let’s fast forward to 100+ biology, chemistry, and business exams later, hundreds of tears cried because of sleepless nights worrying I didn’t pass a test on the human circulatory system, countless college nights consisting of having to say “no” to hitting the town with the girls, and long Saturday afternoons working while friends spent long days bronzing on the lake. And now it’s 4 years later, it all couldn’t be more worth it.

Going to Paris is not just a vacation, it’s a reward. Whether it was my job or my degree (the two main things that have shaken up and also changed my life over the course of 4 years), the long days and exhausting nights taught me, changed me, and educated me. I encourage you to think about what you’ve done for yourself, what you can do for yourself, and what you want for your future. I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and I chased it. As hard as it was, every moment was worth it, and it only taught me how to work harder for my next triumph. And I assure you, I’m nowhere near done chasing. What is worth working for to you? What are you proud of? And how can you keep nurturing that pride? I encourage you to find that light–as far away as it may seem–and keep pushing towards it. You’ll get there, I promise…and who knows, maybe you’ll end up in Paris too. Xo

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