This Human Ability to Pave Paths
It’s been a while since I’d written one of these.
I actually thought about writing this about a month ago when I’d just started my internship at Karla Otto — the fluid concept of human desires and actions.
You can really just do whatever the hell you want to do.
Last summer, I was a bit devastated that I didn’t end up getting a summer internship; I was incredibly picky with who I wanted to work for and what I wanted to be doing. This pickiness led to a summer of play, inspiration and doubt.
Even going into the fall semester, I didn’t have anything secured, either. Plus, I had a new problem — I didn’t want to let go of my part-time job. Most importantly, I didn’t want to let go of my free time. Yes, my free time. If I had taken up an internship alongside school and work, I’d be on a seven-day schedule, and I wasn’t prepared to do that. I like my free time too much. That’s the free time where I’m reading, exploring hobbies and dreaming.
Toward the end of the fall semester, I did end up getting an internship with Slickdeals. Going into it, I acknowledged that I’d signed off my time. I bit the bullet and took this leap because I was panicking. I potentially had one semester left at school with no single internship under my belt, and no real plans for where I’d end up after graduation. Then, I realized something — I could do whatever the hell I want, still. Why was I so obsessed with landing a gig in advertising? I could work in-house. This idea was planted in my head after talking to my global marketing professor who had only worked client-side and garnered professional fame in South Korea.
So, I sought after fashion. After my trip to Seattle with my closest friends, I came back to California revitalized with my hobbies. I spent hours reading about designers again. I started clipping photos for my inspiration book again. I was alive again.
Within a few days of landing the Slickdeals internship, Karla Otto opened the doors to fashion. And I’m thankful for that.
While I was at Karla Otto, I was surrounded by things I loved. Everything had culture — a story and heritage to draw from. Physical pieces had some sort of impact that I’d never seen before. It was a feeling that I can only describe as “un-suffocating.” I was breathing.
And now, as my tenure at Karla Otto is coming to a close, I can’t help but think about the rest of the year. Rather, I’ve been worried about this since the beginning of the year. Do I want to go down the technology route? Do I want to go down the fashion route? After all that I’d said about Karla Otto, it makes plain sense to pursue that, right?
Well, money becomes a part of the equation. Especially with this coronavirus issue on its rampage. As of writing, school is virtual. Karla Otto is virtual. Apple is virtual. We’re quarantined.
Can I even leave the state anymore to intern this summer? I have no idea. Will there be a physical commencement or a digital commencement for my graduation? Nobody really knows.
Anyway, back to where I was going with this.
Do whatever you want to do. Do whatever it takes to get there. This is a message to you.
What you means is up to you.
Just do it.
