You know as well as I that we all come to many points where there are two paths open for our exploration. Choice is hard to make when it feels like the decision is stone set, and that each one must be right, but as I grow, I am learning that is not the case. 

The past few years of my life has been a continual journey with many forks in the road. I made the decision to take a year off after high school, continue my education at Maine College of Art, and then only this year I left behind all that was safe in search of adventure at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in California. 

Last year at art school, I accomplished more than I ever thought possible. Each and every day was inspired and full of passion to create, create, create. I felt like a flower bursting through the cracks in the pavement, finally understanding how art is not just on paper, but design is the way the entirety of the world lives. Somewhere along the way, that particular path became filled with overgrowth, making it harder to see straight ahead. There were lonely winter months with no transportation that turned me against the contained city I was in, and that tainted the work I was doing. There was a certain artist mold that I felt I had to fit, and could not. And there was the large looming cloud of debt and lack of job opportunities that hovered over me. 

When applying to FIDM, I was torn between so many different majors, but narrowed it down to two; Graphic Design and Merchandising and Marketing in the Beauty Industry. The first is what I had been studying, but I chose to do something completely different and utilize other skills that I hadn't had the chance to before. 

That was almost a year ago, and even in those months before my move to California in October to now, I have developed in unimaginable lengths. I soon learned that although I consider myself quite intelligent and communicative, business is not for me. Without art, color, and design I have felt like my soul was not right. Creating and making isn't just my job, or what I do for fun, it's who I am. Every sign was telling me that I was taking on the wrong career, and the minute I started thinking about changing my major back to graphic design, I knew I eventually would. 

I currently will be starting back up with my design classes after the holiday break next month, and I couldn't be more excited. I simply traveled down a different path, but the cool thing is, I just turned around and went back. Sometimes we just need that little bump in the road pointing us in the right direction. My message to you, is to listen to what your heart says. There will be so many forces out there telling you otherwise, but when you tune into yourself, you know what's best as a next step. Embrace who you are and what you love to do, because no matter if you try and avoid doing it, you'll always end up in the right place.