Guess what Travelers? I’m headed to Las Vegas right now to attend the MAGIC Trade Show! The Product Development dept sent out an email asking who would like to attend and I was chosen! But I almost bowed out of the spot. Let me tell you something in these last few days I have learned three very valuable lessons just in receiving this opportunity so read up:

1.) Have a great support system
2.) Make good connections outside of your comfort zone (Featherless Birds)
3.) In this economy an opportunity is an opportunity

Have a great support system: Like I said I almost didn’t take it. You see the opportunity is to work very closely with the Ed Hardy team however personal and travel expenses are not covered. For those of you on this journey with me already know that I am openly unemployed and have yet to find a source of income. I originally told the dept that if they found another student with the provision to attend to give them the opportunity over me. I instantly started to regret that statement. I texted a friend like “what do I do? I can’t afford it!!” She Tim Gunn’d me “Make it work!” I called my mother to run it by her and she said “You’re going so how much do you need? We can make it work” Being far from a trust fund baby (or adult for that matter) I knew this was a big deal. I had until noon the next day to give my answer but as soon as I got the go ahead from my mother I responded that I accepted the opportunity!

When traveling along your Freeway it’s best to have a good support system because I could have called a nay sayer who would only focus on my lack of finances and point out the possible negatives, but on this journey I have learned that positivity and opportunity go hand in hand. I know that if what I was trying to do was too unreasonable my system would have been honest with me about my ambitions.

Make good connections outside of your comfort zone: Sometime last year I wrote a post on AndspeakingofPink about expanding your circle and dispelling the term “birds of a feather flock together.” Here on this blog I call it “Connectors.”At FIDM for most of your term you will spend it with students who are in your same major, very rarely will you have the opportunity to mix with other majors, so you have to make the effort.

Just recently I applied to be a model for a photoshoot for the school and was introduced to the Public Communications dept at FIDM. All the brochures, invites, welcome packets come from them and they are amazing. Look at this work on past Debut Show publications:
It was in me exploring this dept that I met Kim Askew and learned that she the woman responsible for the official FIDM Twitter and Facebook pages as well as the Fashion Club website was familiar with my blog! That connect led to a seconding that I was a good choice to attend the trade show as they were looking for someone to blog about this experience. The real world is an integrated interacting one and the more we stay in our flocks the more we are likely to miss a great connector that leads to an invaluable opportunity.

Lastly, In this economy an opportunity is an opportunity: Travelers there is no way to sugar coat this, sometimes when you are awarded a great opportunity there will be someone there trying to take the air out of your tires. It may be out of jealousy, spite, or just plain closed mindedness but in the end it’s your choice to take advantage of an opportunity afforded to you and in the back of your mind remember – if they were offered the same opportunity 9 times out of 10 they would have taken it too.

You see all I have to do is mention the name Ed Hardy and watch the, for the lack of a better term, hate begin. I was even told by a fellow classmate maybe she was just stricter about what she allows herself to be exposed to when it comes to her career. Yeah like unemployment. In retrospect I understand what she is saying but let’s be honest. When it comes to relevance in the contemporary streetwear market Ed Hardy is at the tip top of the list. There has been few companies that have seen such a cult following and growth in a short amount of time like this one. As a soon to be graduate why would I not want to be a part of this in anyway I can on a platform of this international tradeshow? Just remember like in real life if someone lets the air out of your tires it may slow you down but it doesn’t keep you from moving.

Happy Travels!

"One Step Forward, Just Glance Back. No Fear, Just DIVA!"