Week 1- "This is how it really is."

I knew that going to an Imperial Valley cosmetology school wasn't going to be the most glamorous thing to begin with but I was running out of options. I couldn't really just crash for 1600 hours worth of months at a San Diego family member's house and I definitely did not have the money to support myself to live in SD while attending a more "high-end" cosmo school. I tried Yuma, but about two minutes into my meeting with the director she talked me out of leaving the grand state of California for school.

So here I was, a beauty school wannabe with few options left...well only one option; American Beauty Academy in Brawley, California.

I was actually very excited to start school. I went to bed the Monday night before at a very early hour and woke up very early the following morning in anxious anticipation for what the next ten months of my life would entail!

I entered the office building that Tuesday morning (July 21st, 2009 to be exact) and sat next to the other two newbie girls sporting the glorious ABA uniform: scrubs. ugly, so unfashionable scrubs. white pants that were far to big, and a Kelly green top, which I later had Josh, my boyfriend, embroider for me my name and the name of the school because like everything I would soon find out with this school, they were laggin' it.

We soon learned that our kits, all our items and tools for our schooling, were not in. awesome.

We then went into the actual school and were greeted by our classmates. There is this girl, Yvonne, and at first she said "I'm just gonna tell you how it really is here..." and as she explained how 'unprofessional' (which she wasn't wrong...this time) the school was she was really starting to sound like a pro herself when she made the comment "We're all seated in order as to how long we've been here." she was sitting right next to us, so I quickly asked "wait, how long have you been here?!" she replied as if nothing was wrong, "only a week." HA! I soon learned Yvonne knows everything about everything just ask her. from the comments about once being a cutter to comments about riding horses...I have had to bite my tongue constantly while reminding myself "you're not here to make friends" or "its only ten months, just get through it"

Besides the feeling that you have to beg the 'instructors' to actually teach you and the interesting personalities you have to learn to deal with, good and bad, there are some upsides:

The school is fairly cheap and you do eventually get all the basics down to be able to pass state board exam for your cosmetology licence. And I have actually made some pretty cool friends, granted all of those cool friends are far into their hours and will probably be graduating one by one within the next couple of months.

conclusion:

Its typical Imperial Valley and it will take everything in me to not ditch class but I just have to persevere. School makes me physically and definitely mentally drained everyday, and I have learned a lot about my low tolerance for fake people...but that an entirely different blog I'm sure. All in all I'm actually anxious to see what this chapter in my life will bring me.

So until next week

-Kristin