Graduating Student Chronicles, Ch. 3: Addysen Trumper

It is time to check in with recent Communication Studies graduate Addysen Trumper!  Addysen has been nice enough to document her final semester here at USF for us on the blog.  Today she is sharing her thoughts about graduation and her time since commencement.  Her Chapter 3:

“The morning of my graduation ceremony, my parents, my brother and I sat down for a congratulatory moment of reflection. Graduating from USF was truly one of my proudest, relieving and scariest accomplishments yet. My family told me that morning that with this accomplishment would come a sense of responsibility to myself to keep my ‘inner candle’ burning. The goal, as I step into the real world, is to keep my candle from extinguishing due to the challenges I face and the mean-spirited who may cross my path. I was encouraged to keep my candle held high to ensure it would not flicker out.

Graduate Addysen Trumper... check out those shoes!

Since my graduation weekend two weeks ago, the candle analogy has stuck with me. I have seriously contemplated my future and potential in the fashion industry, and I am now more confident than ever that my inner fuel will keep my flame ignited. While you might be reading this thinking, ‘Ok she sounds a bit sure of herself,’ I would say to you that confidence in your own fire after leaving the protection of the university institution is a must to succeed.

This is my third and final Graduating Student Chronicle as we settle into summer. My weeks look a bit different now that school has ceased and work has increased. Here is a sneak peak into my second week as a USF alum.

Sunday

• As my alarm blared I couldn’t help but set it back a half hour as I didn’t need to clock in to work until10:45am. Snuggled in for a longer Sunday morning snooze.
• The Sunday morning bus ride proved docile and rather relaxing on my way downtown. I made it to my respective floor at Saks Fifth Avenue to check my emails and my past weeks total commission count before the store opened.
• After a successful day full of Burberry clients looking for the right trench coat and women in search of a fresh look for their work week, I returned home to cook dinner and, wait, no homework? Well then, a RedBox movie it is!

Monday

• Pulled myself out of bed for an early morning workout, quick shower and fast sprint to make the bus. Phew… made it to work on time for a 9:30 clock in.
• Spent my morning pulling clothes, shoes, and accessories for a client scheduled to come in for a wardrobe update that afternoon.  The morning’s efforts seemed to pay off after a successful afternoon of show-and-tell with my customer.
• Joined my fellow sale associates at a nearby bar after work to socialize, talk style, and send a departing coworker off in style.

Tuesday

• My first day off after a long work stint after I took a mini graduation vacation to spend with my family. Luck seemed to find me as my boyfriend, Cameron, also had the day off to do an ‘all day date.’
• Took a long and romantic walk from my house near USF to the Embarcadero to watch Midnight in Paris. The movie took me back to my study abroad time in Paris after an hour and a half spent watching this Woody Allen film. Oo la la…
• Joined friends and settled in a booth at In-N-Out for a little greasy double date of burgers and laughs.

Addysen enjoying the city on a day off

Wednesday

• Two days off in a row?! I realized that this mid-week break needed to be more productive than the day before. Started it off right with a good sweat on the stair-master.
• Crossed chores off my list: last laundry load was complete, nails re-painted, and a trip to Lucky’s filled my fridge and cabinet for as long as possible.
• Worked on a financial plan with mint.com to map out my spending habits for the months to come. (Need some money guidance? Check out this website out as it displays goals and budget plans made for success.)
• Picked out my outfit for the next day before I turned my television to Jimmy Fallon for my last laughs and entertainment for the day.

Thursday

• My wake-up alerts were set early to make it to the gym before returning to Saks for a day of playing catch up.
• Took my lunch break with a coworker to discuss dream couture and chow on some Japanese food.
• Sat down with my floor manager to discuss my opportunities and my future at Saks. Headed home with my mind spinning with potential career plans and decisions to make.

Friday

• Early work morning with the Oscar de la Renta trunk show on the morning meeting menu. My entire day was made glorious as I draped on a royal blue gown for our morning meeting display. I could not stop smiling.
• My day flew by working with new and some familiar clients. Summer seemed to have landed as an array of vacation outfits sold made my commission for the week.
• Met one of my best girls right after leaving the selling floor for the day to attend an opening for an art gallery where she used to intern. Had dinner together as a Friday evening treat.

A perk of working at Saks!

Saturday

• Enjoyed a long morning with Cameron as we made it to the gym and had breakfast before my 10:45am scheduled clock-in time.
• Each day at Saks always presents something new. This day was spent building a vacation wardrobe for a client heading to Turkey, Greece and Southern Italy for three weeks. She was a delight to work with. I felt like I was transported to a different world preparing her to look fabulous on her trip. We discussed different scenarios and style options. Women like this encourage me to dream big on my own distant future vacation.
• As I walked out the doors at the end of the day, I was surprised to see Cameron waiting for me to take me to dinner. As he prepares to venture to law school this fall, I treasure my time spent with him this summer with no school stress.

Addysen and Cameron... what a cute couple!

Adjusting to the absence of my beloved student status, ensuring me discounts and the ever useful homework excuse to get out of plans that may not seem up my alley, will take more than a few weeks. This evening I ventured to the movie house to watch Bill Cunningham’s New York, a documentary about the first ever street fashion photographer. I asked for the student discount. A pang of gilt, well a short pang, entered my body as I flashed my USF ID. However, I realize that the freedom to spend my time ‘studying’ my passion and drive behind my career allows me to spend a weeknight at the theatre watching Cunningham scout the best and most interesting style on the street of New York. I take in every piece of information to fuel the flame ignited within me. My inner candle is igniting like a forest fire and spreading to the East as I prepare for a relocation to NYC this fall. The bright lights of New York will suit me well as my light continues to burn within me.

Fellow Dons, I encourage you to shine on and devote your inner fire to your passions. Now is the time to let your light shine.”

Thanks so much to Addysen for chronicling her last semester at USF for us!  Congratulations on graduation and this next phase of your journey!