Richard Tran

Since I was little, I looked up to my older sister Nina as a motherly figure. I was raised in an immigrant household, and my parents did not speak English well. Therefore, Nina had to help my parents with paperwork and help me with schoolwork. While Nina was a leader, I was a follower, but I wanted to become a leader. Entering my freshman year of college, I did not know what I wanted to do. As I browsed through the majors offered at the University of Georgia, it popped into my mind that Nina graduated college a year ago with a biology major. Soon enough, I became a biology major. When teachers asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I told them that I wanted to be just like my older sister. All I wanted to do was make her proud, and I thought the best way to do so was to follow in her footsteps.

After taking my first chemistry class in college, I quickly came to the conclusion that I was not fit to be a science major. However, I was so hesitant about switching because this would be the first time that I would be on my own. Like everyone else, Nina is only knowledgeable about her respective field, so she could not be by my side every step of the way. After countless breakdowns, I recognized the fact that I was holding myself back from becoming a strong independent person. I was so focused on being the carbon copy of Nina that I did not realize the extent to which I was pushing myself away from becoming a leader. By doing every single thing Nina did, I was not exploring my options and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. I was essentially just living in the shadow of my older sister.

Growing up, I was surrounded by fashion. My mom used to dress me up and emphasize the importance of one’s appearance. In addition, I would read magazines, like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle, and watch the runways of designers, such as Chanel, Dior, and Saint Laurent. I admired the art of fashion but never thought that I could pursue it as a career until college. As a person who could barely draw stick figures, I knew that I did not want to be a part of the creative side of fashion and that I wanted to be a part of the marketing side. Without marketing, there would no photoshoots, no runway shows, and no fashion industry. Although marketing is not similar to biology at all, I am determined to prove to Nina and myself that I can work towards a career on my own.