I had nothing to wear to a tour of my dream company. I soon found out that my clothing was the least of my worries. I knew I had to go business casual so I went to Forever 21 and bought a $10 clearance blazer, paired it with a white blouse, Levis and black shiny booties. As I strutted down Broadway looking like a wannabe Jane from The Bold Type, I was nervous to see the place I knew I belonged in. I sat down in the waiting room, alongside other fashionably dressed college students who share the same dream as me. I was intimidated, and it showed. Two girls started talking to me, telling me how one is a freshman and is already interning at the NYPost and the other is a highly intelligent marketing student. I hate telling people I work two internships, but this was the only place I felt it was acceptable to share it. The tour started and I was hit was awe of the clean and chic looking offices. I got to catch a glimpse of an editor's space. It filled with magazines (of course), books, fresh flowers and to top it all off a gorgeous view of Manhattan. We all stepped into a meeting room and were greeted by two editors; Maya Allen and Brie Schwartz. They both were unique in their own way. Maya a young hip beauty editor for Marie Claire and Brie a poised but warm deputy editor for Oprah Magazine.
I am going to share with you what I learned from the 45 minutes Q&A.
1. Network, Network, Network. Make contacts wherever you go because you never know when someone might remember you and offer you an opportunity.
2. Read and Write. If you want to become an editor you better know how to write. In order to become a better writer, you need to read constantly. This is why I am starting up this blog again because I am fully aware I am a terrible writer. (Feel free to call me out on it.)
3. Cover Letters are IMPORTANT: Treat your cover letter like your college essay. You're given a chance to show your personality and say why you fit for the job. Give it your all and most importantly proofread it!
4. Everyone has their own journey. Many young aspiring journalists like to follow people who they want to become but sometimes their path won’t get you to where you want to go.
5. Rejection is okay. Maya shared that she applied to many internships and got rejected one after another. I myself have experienced this, my freshman year I applied to over 50 internships and went on many in-person interviews and got rejected until I finally got one. It all works out at the end if you keep ongoing.
I left the Hearst Tower feeling inspired and nervous but excited for my future. I know that if I continue to hustle and work hard I to can become a magazine editor and someday help others achieve their goals like Maya and Brie do.
The skincare junkies won. I got sucked into the never-ending obsession of skincare products. I have been avoiding the highly viewed k-beauty videos and dodging the praised jade facial rollers. Let’s face it, skincare is expensive and that’s why as a 20-year-old college student I felt the need to put off buying anything other than a cheap moisturizer. Now, I’m not saying I have perfect skin, (I have far from it) but when I see a pimple or discoloration I always shrug it off and live on with my life. Passing through the skincare aisles was an absolute turn off. I would avoid it at all costs and stick to my beloved makeup sections. That all changed when Youtube recommended a Michelle Phan: Go to Bed with Me video to me. The Harper’s Bazaar video showed a neat but descriptive night routine of the ever so loved makeup guru, Michelle Phan. She goes deep into how important it is to keep your skin healthy for the present but most importantly the future. It put a new perspective on my way of thinking about my own skincare routine or the lack of one. After clicking off the video, I took a walk of shame to my own bathroom mirror and inspected my two almost expired products on my shelf. Who would have known that my Clean & Clear face wash wasn’t cutting it, in our now skincare obsessed culture? This was when the need to research started and I watched about two hours of skincare product reviews. It was now time to execute and I went to the only place I knew to go and that was my second home: Tjmaxx. Their skincare section is huge and guess who spent an hour there? Me. Google was my best friend and I looked up reviews on products right then and there. I bought a dupe of a Drunk Elephant serum and an Elizabeth Arden toner. Each under 10 dollars! I left with a satisfying smile and two new products to add to my small skincare collection. I finally have a somewhat decent skincare routine and it’s going to grow from here. So far the serum has been doing wonders and I wake up with bouncy glowing skin, it amazing! I am excited to keep on this skincare journey and share new products that might work for you.
