The Cavalier Daily
Serving the University Community Since 1890

A changing life course

When your major leads you in unexpected directions

My fourth-year apartment housed four girls. Two were Commerce students whose summer internships had landed them jobs for the upcoming year. The third, on the pre-med track, was studying for the MCAT while submitting applications to medical schools. Then there was me — no job secured, no grad school in sight. After years of psychology classes, I had decided — finally and without abandon — that I wanted to be an interior designer.

Until my last year at the University, I was on the fast track to becoming a sports psychologist. My distinguished major research project was in the works, and I had started to explore the graduate school process. However, amidst the excitement of findings in my research and making a difference in athletes’ mindsets, I began to question this path. I brushed these thoughts off, though, thinking I could always come back to design. Changing careers later in life is common, and psychology seemed the more stable option.

Then, I studied abroad in France and something clicked. The architecture of centuries-old buildings fascinated me far more than any class in my major ever had. I met others whose passion led the way for their work, and I made my decision, chasing it with happy, sweet, reckless abandon.

Upon my return, I continued with my distinguished major project, but my spare time was filled with architecture classes and design books. I had made a plunge into the depths of a world made for me. I had finally found myself, and the hours and work I put into my new classes — in my final year of college when most of my classmates were cruising — were worth the thrill of chasing something I loved.

The next step, of course, was finding a job. Submitting a resume to potential employers with only a few design classes was intimidating. To boost my credibility, I wrote an information-filled cover letter outlining my design background — starting with my grandfather, who attended Pratt Institute, and ending with my classes — and explaining my shift in life paths. I sent these resumes off in masses — 297 in total. Yes, I contacted just short of 300 potential employers with not a lot more than a hope and a prayer.

I should add, too, how I mentioned to potential employers that I’d love to talk to them for informational interviews, even if they weren’t hiring. This opened the door in so many ways, as many offered to meet with me and provide insight into their fields. From them, I was able to narrow down what I was looking for and I got an overview of what to expect. This information was absolutely invaluable, especially since I had no formal training in interior design.

Fast forward nine months, and I’m now living and working in New York City. I work for an interior designer — one of the 297 whom I contacted — as her one and only assistant. As such, I do anything and everything she needs, from picking fabric samples, to meeting contractors, to giving my two cents on a room layout. She has also encouraged me to take classes at the New York School of Interior Design, which I’ve started this semester.

I despise the triteness of a cliché, but that is what I have to say: following my passion has made me rich. Not monetarily — NYC rent really is as crazy as they say — but rich in how I have found myself. There is plenty of time in life to be safe, but now, when I’m young and reckless, is the time to follow this passion of mine. It has led me into a world of promise and excitement that I can never imagine being tired of. And this, I believe, is all that really matters.


Clare lives in New York City and works for Jennifer Eisenstadt Design & Decoration, LLC. She can be reached at clare@jennifereisenstadt.com.

Comments

Latest Podcast

The University’s Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment and Undergraduate Admission, Greg Roberts, provides listeners with an insight into how the University conducts admissions and the legal subtleties regarding the possible end to the consideration of legacy status.



https://open.spotify.com/episode/02ZWcF1RlqBj7CXLfA49xt