The small things in life are the most rewarding.
When someone smiles on campus as I pass by, when a cashier at Chik-fil-A says "My pleasure" or when a teacher puts "Good job" at the top of an assignment, these gestures make my day.
It may not seem like it, but small things can make a big difference.
I hope the small things I do will make a difference later in life when I am searching for a career.
Two years ago, I saw an advertisement for Teen Vogue Fashion University in New York City.
The weekend-long conference would be open to anyone interested in fashion, meeting designers and learning from the magazine editors how to get a foot in the door of the fashion/magazine world.
Boy, was I interested.
Of course, I applied.
But my first thoughts were, "Why would a magazine in New York City accept someone from Podunk, Ala., (actually Holly Pond, but just as bad) who will probably never have a chance in the fashion world?"
"Will the proper, up-scale designers and editors laugh my Southern accent back home?"
These doubts made me try even harder.
Much to my surprise, I was accepted, Southern accent and all.
The next month I boarded a plane for the first time in my life and was on my way to arguably the greatest city in the world.
I would soon stand in the presence of figures in fashion that I have only been able to see on the glossy pages of the magazine, much less ask questions and be in the same room with.
While in New York, I attended seminars by Vera Wang, Tommy Hilfiger, Tim Gunn, Redken hairstylists, Maybelline New York make-up artists and all of the editors at Teen Vogue, and then saw all the sights and shopped till I dropped.
It was jaw dropping being surrounded by so many people at one time and looking up and not being able to see the tops of buildings.
Where I live, I can drive to the top of the tallest building (a parking deck).
Standing on top of the Empire State Building, overlooking the buildings probably four times taller than the lowly parking deck I am used to, was life changing.
In two weeks I get to go back to the Big Apple for the fourth annual Fashion University. I applied again because I hope it will be beneficial to me in the long run, and because it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Well, second to living in Japan for a month.
The month after high school graduation, a friend and I traveled to Japan to live with my aunt and uncle for our senior trip.
We had to navigate around cities with signs only in Japanese and then ride the subway and train (also with signs only in Japanese) back to where we were living.
Not being able to speak or read Japanese was a huge obstacle, and being surrounded by people that a) only spoke that language and b) looked at me funny because I have blond hair, was even more shocking.
People could just tell I did not belong there.
One taxi driver in Tokyo picked us up in the pouring rain and asked (in perfect English) where we needed to go.
We slowly said, "Outback Steakhouse," thinking he may not understand, and he said, "Oh, Outback Steakhouse? No I don't know. I don't speak English."
He proceeded to kick us out of the back seat and drive off, leaving us in the rain once again.
Seriously, he was speaking English, but doesn't speak English?
After about four taxis wouldn't take us to the restaurant, I decided I must need the exercise, so we walked to Outback.
I overcame these obstacles by learning key phrases of their language and wearing a hat to cover up my hair.
Although attending the fashion conference and living in a different country for a month may not seem like such a big deal, I hope one day a prospective employer will notice the small things I did and be impressed.
Maybe the optimistic perfectionist I am will be rewarded.
Maybe the extra effort I put forth at my part-time job or broadening my cultural horizons by living in a different country will stand out.
Maybe the small investments I make now in trying to get as much experience as possible will lead to big success later in life.
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