I attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in San Francisco, California determined to be an Interior Designer. FIDM is in the heart of downtown near Union Square. It was vastly different than Stockton, CA.
Living in San Francisco was life changing. I vividly remember one particular night. After school, I would wait for the MUNI 5 to take me home on Fulton St. It happened to be raining and chilly that night. I sat at the bus stop on Market St,, waiting with my oversized FIDM school bag packed with art tools. I wedged myself into the corner of the bus stop, trying to stay out of the rain. I watched the cars and people pass by. I felt so small there in the corner. Waiting.
I almost failed that first quarter. I was put on academic probation. I didn’t want to quit. I buckled down the following quarter and brought up my GPA. I had to stop thinking of home so much and instead needed to make a space for myself in San Francisco. So I got involved.
- Volunteered at the Mission Cultural Center
- Volunteered as a dresser for fashion shows
- Simply walked around. A lot!
Thankfully, I was able to turn things around. By the end of the year, I signed up for a Summer Study program in Paris, France. It was a wonderful way to celebrate my first year of college! Shortly before leaving on that trip, I found out I was pregnant with my first child.
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