Guest post by Jennifer Klarner, TUBC student at our Rockford Campus
My experience at Tricoci University has truly been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I learned how to cut hair from my Aunt and my Grandmother and had been cutting hair for several years before I entered into Tricoci’s cosmetology school. Of course I thought I knew everything about cutting hair. How wrong I was! My first day of Essentials proved to be quite a task as when I walked in I immediately had to do a haircut on my mannequin. I felt completely overwhelmed until a teacher named Miss Michele came over and said to take a deep breath and everything would be ok. Miss Michele was the greatest. She not only taught me to overcome my fear of failing, she taught me to stand tall and trust in the gifts that I had. It wasn’t an easy thing to do, but by the end of Essentials I was starting to find my own way through this crazy thing we call cosmetology.
My first days out on the floor were terrifying. What if I messed up someone’s hair up? I had to reach back into myself and allow the confidence I had found in Essentials to shine through again. I knew I could do this. This is what I was meant to do with my life. I am a cosmetologist. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t want to cut or color someone’s hair. Miss Michele reminds me of that constantly. I have such a passion for this industry that I can’t imagine doing anything else.
As the months have passed and I have continued this adventure into cosmetology, I have learned a great many things about myself. I can do anything I put my mind to. I have the perseverance to see this through, no matter what throws itself into my path. I have the support of my teachers and staff to help guide me through this adventure in my life right now. They have time and again put themselves on the line for me to see me succeed. I can’t imagine a better place for me to be at this time in my life.
When I entered this school, I thought my mission was to cut beautiful hair. Now I realize that while I still want to cut beautiful hair, my true calling is coloring hair. It allows me the artistic side of cosmetology that I never thought I’d find. I love to paint at home and now I can enjoy it at work as well. It’s something that truly makes me happy. I get to take someone’s hair and give them a whole new identity simply by adding color to their hair. It makes me enjoy my job just a little more knowing I can transform someone’s look with color.
In closing, I would just like to thank the staff of Tricoci University for making me what I truly am; a cosmetologist. Without this cosmetology school and without this opportunity I would still be wandering aimlessly, trying to figure out what to do with this life of mine. You have truly made me feel welcome and gave me a purpose for which I will always be grateful. Thank you.