Aspirations, Inspirations, Fashion & Success.
Abstract
This essay is based on a peer interview conducted through Zoom meetings. The interview was conducted by me, and my interviewee being my classmate Cristina Ramirez. The essay focuses on the life of Ramirez of course, but most importantly it is based and shaped around her goals or most aspired dreams. In the interview there were a series of questions asked some of which are implemented in the essay, questions ranging from her relationship with her family, to education matters, to her goals and most aspired desire.
We are often accustomed to hearing stories of people who are already on Tv and big platforms, about how their dreams and goals became reality and how they got to where they are today, but can we say we often have the opportunity of working with these people before they’ve met their success? I can. I had the chance to interview a fashionist industry aspirant. Cristina Ramirez, a girl with a peculiar yet extravagant ambition and goal. At her 18 years old of life, she’s determined to pursue her passion, a passion that throughout the decades has never lost its value in society and it is always evolving and adapting. Cristina is an American girl born in Manhattan at Soundview, lived there until she was 4 years of age, she then moved to the Bronx to where she still resides. Although Cristina is an American young lady, she comes from a Latino background, her parents whom she still lives with are Mexican immigrants to which she appears to be thankful for having given their best to strive and make sure she has what she today values the most, an education. As I mentioned Cristina lives with her parents and two more siblings, she is the oldest of the 3. Living in a family of 5 with a 16-year-old sister and a 14-year-old brother while being the eldest, has not been easy for her. She must live with the pressure of being successful at what she does, get a good career that will lead her to a stable and good paying job and serve as an exemplar role model for her siblings.
The accomplishment of which she is most proud of is currently attending college, as she spoke about this big moment and episode in her life, she seemed emotional as if remembering the steps, she had taken in order to get to where she is today. Cristina is currently majoring in advertising and Public Relations; this will help her pursue her dreams and be able to start a business of her own. Her “peculiar” and “extravagant” passion consists of becoming a fashion stylist. Cristina expresses to be a big fashion fan, who follows and analyzes the trends. She has tried to design her own clothes but tends to repeat over and over the drawing designs, to which she expresses that she is better at putting pieces of clothing together, in other words choosing a whole outfit from scratch. Being a Fashion stylist has not always been her dream. When she was a child her dream job/ career was to become a doctor, a surgeon to be specific. Her interests have changed from operating in the body to operating and managing how to make things look good on the body. As Cristina recalled her dream as a child and her dream now, her face was wearing a dainty smile with enthusiasm adorned with glittery eyeballs that shined through the screen.
Although she does not stop dreaming and slowly works towards her goal every day, by keeping up with new trends and new ways of making herself into the fashion world, Cristina is mostly focusing her attention on school and this semester. She says “I wouldn’t want it to be, but school is taking most of my time right now. I wish I could do more things.” after being asked what her greatest focus at the moment is. Her focusing so much and mainly in school only may be due to the fact that she striving and dedicating herself to get a “stable/ secure career first, as her parents expect. Cristina describes her parents as “a great supportive team.” Acknowledging their struggle as immigrant non-college graduates themselves, Cristina is proud to have them push her to get ahead, and be someone in life, though perhaps not in the direction she might desire. Them being a great “supportive team” does not apply towards her pursuing her passion as well, as they don’t know of it yet. This passion of hers is something that she mostly keeps to herself, she feels like the people around her including her family would not fully support or understand her on this. It is a topic that it’s simply just not their focus or on their interest, she also says that nobody else in her family is into fashion as well.
Aspirations, dreams, goals, desires, and passions are something of which we can’t escape from, we simply feel them, but are we always motivated to keep pushing and remain hopeful? The reality is no. It is normal to have our ups and downs as we keep exploring towards what we want. Cristina explains that for her everything hasn’t been sunshine and rainbows either. She often doubts herself a lot, abiding by what her parents expect from her and the lack of experience she possesses in the field she wants to pursue can also be discouraging. I shifted my focus towards an even more touching question: “If 7 years from now you happened to have your own successful fashion line what is some advice you would give to those trying to make it?” To which she seemed content & inspired to answer. Wearing a steady smile with a reflective and meditating stare she said, “I’d recommend them to explore try on anything that works for them… fashion and trends are always evolving and so are we.”
