hi, my name is megan, I am 21 years old and currently finishing my senior year at the fashion institute of technology. this may, I will receive a bachelor of science in fashion business management with specializations in both buying/planning and product development. the fact that this is the end of my educational pursuit, at least for now, is a thought that makes me reflect on where I am today and why I chose this path.
growing up I was always an artsy girl. I would choose arts and crafts or dance over sports and games any day, anytime. when it came time to choose what I wanted to do as a career I knew I wanted to have some aspect of creativity involved, however at the time I knew even my years of dance experience and my love for it was not enough to make it my lifelong career. I needed to find something else I was good at. I don’t know about you but for me, this was like pulling my own teeth. I seemed to be mediocre at everything I ever did - how could I choose a career that I would enjoy when I hadn’t found my passion yet?
after doing some research into creative fields, I stumbled upon fashion and realized just how much really goes into each garment we wear. at the age of 13, I instantly became obsessed. I would go to the grocery store with my parents just to sit on the floor of aisle five and read the in style magazine while they shopped around. I would print out outlines of people and draw clothes on them, punch holes in the sides of the paper then bind the sheets together with string and call it “megan’s look book”. I even began to not hate the thrift store shopping my mom made me do because I realized I could find clothes no one else had, reconstruct them and make them my own.
as I got older, I found that if I wanted to pursue a career in fashion, I didn’t want to do design but rather I wanted to be challenged intellectually as well to use analytics and solve problems daily. this is when I realized that the fashion business was the perfect balance of both and what better place to pursue it than nyc?
the decision to attend FIT was both the hardest and easiest decision I have ever made. it meant leaving all my friends and family in maryland and moving to nyc alone as a very timid and quiet 18-year-old girl. all the “downfalls” aside, I knew this move would change my life, I would be able to pursue a career in an ever-evolving field that is glamorous and creative but also innovative and highly business oriented. now, I am beyond happy that I took the risk. I don’t regret a moment of the last four years I have had the privilege to spend here. I have been able to help grow as a person and expand my knowledge of the fashion industry as well as embrace creativity in my work-life through internships, social life through travel and creative friends (who I learn so much from) and school life through fresh, interesting classes and club activities.
creativity has been a how-to guide to life, the key to all of my best decisions and the way through my worst. I still don’t know what specifically is my passion but I know that I love fashion, I strive to continue learning no matter where my technical education pursuit ends and to always draw outside the lines.