My Paul Mitchell Entrance Essay: First Draft

Jessica B. Teal

15 MAR 2012

Entrance Essay

Paul Mitchell Entrance Essay

                I could make this essay as cliché as they come and talk about how being a single mother is so challenging, about how boot camp was so hard, or how a bad divorce changed my views on everything in my life… but instead, I’ll appreciate all of those things, and grasp my goals from a different challenge. That challenge is: loss. Some of my biggest goals were awknowledged through the death of my best friend, which in turn led me to this road at Paul Mitchell St. Louis. All of the above mentioned have shaped me, and for that I am grateful, however, the person who helped me realize my dreams of pursing art through cosmetology is no longer here, and with her is where my goals began, and my promise is fullfilled.

                Before I explain my goals, disappointments and accomplishments, let me give you a brief explanation of my best friend. Her name was Amber Morris, I called her battle, as she called me too. We met in boot camp in 2006, hence the nickname, and were inseperable - literally. She was more than a best friend, she was my sister. She moved everywhere I did, married when I did, we had babies 3 months apart, planned for school together, divorced at the same time, fought eachother over everything and loved eachother more than we knew how to do any of our fighting. Two weeks before Feburary 19, 2010 we had a fight over my spontaneous choices. After her divorce she moved back home to Iowa, got enrolled in Iowa School of Beauty, got her own place and started really living. I however was not as decisive. I wanted to travel and only live for daily experiences… not really work towards long lasting goals. I needed instant gratification to make me happy. She only wanted the best for my daughter, Emmalie, and I. I saw her as just being judgemental of my latest decision to randomly visit Europe and I became defensive. Then the gloves were off and we were in one of our petty fights. All she kept saying to me was, “settle down! Get your own place! Go to school and let someone love you again.” I argued that just because her life worked out for her didn’t mean mine had to go the same way. Little did I know that is the sillest thing I’ve ever argued.

                 I think my biggest disappointments are obvious. I should have been the bigger person. I should have listened to her reasoning because it was nothing more than loving advice. She knew where my heart was before my life with my husband, when I had already inquired to a Paul Mitchell locally. I even started school in Fort Smith Arkansas at a small academy before I was called up for a deployment to Iraq. Eventually I was sent home, and started all over. When I was on a break with my ex husband I enrolled in San Diego Paul Mitchell, and when he came home from deployment I moved back to New York making it impossible for attendance. Finally he and I seperated for good, and just as life started getting back on track she was gone. It’s taken me 2 years to get my head on right since she passed. I blamed myself for so much. She was in a car accident on an icy road and in seconds taken from me. Just weeks before I could have been the bigger person and said I was sorry, and not only have my best friend a couple weeks longer, but also maybe realize where my heart truly was 2 years sooner. It was all in love and adoration that she asked me to settle down, and I was just running from - everything. Its easy to see how many disappointments came from this. Not only in refusing to be an adult and ruining my friendship in her last weeks, and for walking away from school for my daughters father, but in myself for not seeing the point of all of her reasoning… and not listening to the person who knew me better than I knew myself.  My biggest disappointment was giving up.

                Its been 2 years, and they’ve been grueling, challenging, yet wonderful years of healing and living. In those years I’ve finally gotten my plan.  I did as she wanted and reeped the benefits. I immediately moved home, got my own place, started working, got my own car and started making decisions as a responsible adult. I knew I wanted to go back to school however, I had to get to a comfortable point where I knew I could focus and do it for all of the right reasons. Recently those right reasons have been more apparent than ever. She was only a couple hundred hours from graduating Iowa School of Beauty, and being accepted to and graduating from Paul Mitchell St. Louis would be in honor of her. I see cosmetology as an art, and an amazingly fun way of being creative and expressing myself. I want nothing more than to graduate Paul Mitchell at the top of my class and pay my dues as expected in a local salon, and eventually move up to editorial work. Another friend and idol of mine, Natalie Burke, has attended Paul Mitchell and worked for Kelly Cardenas and now travels all over the world as a freelance stylist. I highly respect her and her career, and often watch the steps shes taken to get where she is. I want to make more of my career than simply sitting in a salon 8 hours a day doing highlights and perms, I want to make art out of it, and to have that art resepctfully documented.

                 I think it may seem slightly ambitious, however, that’s why I chose Paul Mitchell. I think Paul Mitchell has the ability to teach me what a local, small town school, could not. PM keeps up. It stays on top of the trends as well as instilling the basic fundamentals. Not only is the name respected for the quality, it is respected in the work force. I fully intend on taking my school time and maxing out every test, being at the top of every list, and as an added bonus, a perfect attendance goal.  If this is the choice I’m making, its going to be the best decision I’ve made in my entire life, and I will make sure of it.

                As it seems, I've written this essay backwards, because this is the part where I finally get to my greatest accomplishment. THIS is it. Following my dream and honoring my best friend are accomplishments. I've had many bumps in the road to get to this point, and conquering them all are accomplisments in themselves, but being true to myself is the best accomplishment I will ever make. Amber knew where my heart was, and sadly it took losing her to figure that out too, but now I know I can go into it wholeheartedly, with no regrets, and only goals. I am proud to say that I knew her and that she taught me as much as she did in the few years I had her around… she is the reason I write this. Without Amber Morris I question if I would still be scared of everything I was so sure of before all the major changes in my life. I feel like I finally get a second chance to make things right, and I will not ruin it. Paul Mitchell is where I feel like my new life begins, and all of my regrets end.

You're allowed to disagree. IF YOU....

If you are one of those girls who everyone hates on because they say you're a shitty mother, 9-10 times, they are probably right.


If you have more pictures of yourself partying than pictures with your kid, yooou bettaaa recogniiiiize! 


IF YOU slept with so many people that you're publically posting that you're unsure of who the father is, chances are you shouldnt even be having a kid, or be allowed to even reproduce.


If you have your kids less than 5-6 nights a week, and you're not working a full time job, try harder.


If you cant remember every weekend, maybe you need to drink less.

If you are pregnant with your second kid, and you dont even take care of the first, you need your tubes tied.


If you don't want to take care of your kids, DONT HAVE THEM.


now, if you're one of those mothers who actually cared more about your child than yourself, you are honoring the gift God gave you. If you work your ass off, go to school, spend more on your child than yourself, get excited over buying them new clothes rather than yourself, get up on their schedule, and if you can look through your phone and see more pictures of your child than yourself? you're probably doing it all right.


p.s. my prayers for miss hollie. you were def a girl that seemed to have her head in all the right places and loved her daughter more than you loved yourself... My heart is with you. <3

Goals.

I know its typical of me to do silly things like move on whims, and take a plane to a place that ive never been to before...but this time im taking my time and im thinking things out.


I got to move to san diego a while back to live with friends as a live in nanny. I loved it. I loved the area, i loved the weather, i loved the beach and the sun... i love the whole feeling. I also looked up Paul Mitchell San Diego, toured the school, got accepted, and signed my papers and paid my HUGE fee to enroll and was ready to start classes! unfortunately like always, i gave it up for keith. BIG mistake.


Well, I think this time around im ready to be more responsible and make decisions the right way. Im going to finish my lease here and see how i feel closer to time... but about 4 months out im going to look at apartments, call the school back, re-enroll on "half deposit" day, and when emmalies old enough to start school, im going to be a student.


 Its kind of a scary thought to think that Id be miles away from my family when ive been here for SOOO long (yeah 2 years at once is a long time for me) but to not have them close is whats scary... whats scarier is I dont want to break emmalies heart. I guess it just gives my momma incentive to come visit california! :)


I was thinking about going to school for midwifery, and YES i would still love to, but i know my passion, and its not nursing before hair and makeup. My dream? I want to do runway hair and makeup, gluing jewels to peoples faces, teasing hair so big you'd think it was the 80's .... i want high fashion. Seeing as i went to school in Arkansas for cosmo, i know that i wouldnt get that kind of training nor experience there. When i toured the school in San Diego i realized its a little out of my league, but im ready to step it up.


I have alot of planning to do and alot of thought to put into it, but im ready to do something with my life, and i think this is where Im starting. I have a year to get back on my feet, and a year to make REAL plans, and a year to get prepared and not just move out of spite or to run away from something. I want a real life, and school is where I need to start.


Im sure some of my friends wont agree with this and some will tell me im stupid, but im sure of this, and i feel good about it... as scary as it is. my mom took that leap a while back and she made it work, i know i can too.


So... Call this my short term Goal, Ill make it work - i always do.

Family.

Tonight I had a member of my family tell me that my mother screwed me up, and that in turn I am doing the same to my daughter... well, aside that i bought a journal and while writing i had an epiphany.
         I now understand what its like to have a little girl and to have no help, and to have the hard times to deal with alone, and to have a little girl who wants to fight you on everything, and ive learned to respect my mom for everything shes done. NO she may not have been perfect, but who is the perfect mother? I'd say the perfect mother would be someone who has nothing but time on their hands, money to buy everything that child needs and a husband who cares more about his kid than work or tv, or the bar. 
         No one is perfect and i dont care how my mother raised me because you know what? I didnt have sex when i was 14, i didnt do drugs, i didnt hang with the wrong people and yes i did my fair share of sneaking around, but who didnt? 
         I think in all of this ive learned to respect my mother more, especially since she raised 2 of us on her own. Thats admirable.
         We dont always get along, but Ill never EVER blame her for my childs raising. Emmalie and I are close, and best friends, and if you want to blame my mom for that? Go ahead. That just means she did a DAMN good job. 
         Another point is that i was told that i was wrong for wanting "me time" but you know, i think every mother young or older deserves that. Time to read a book, clean house, sleep, or play freaking online games. Who cares? if you have family members that are willing to help you out thats because they LOVE YOU. If you're one of those people who have people who want to help you, its because they love you... make sure you let them know you love them too. You never know what tomorrow will bring as tomorrow isnt promised.


So. in conclusion, Everyone learns, and sometimes its the hard way... thats the way its always been for me, and sometimes its not that way for other people.... but, just take care of yourselves... life is too precious not to. :)


Thanks for reading, and MOM?  I love you.


-xoxojess

I Was Just Thinking.

These lyrics seemed post worthy. The song makes it perfect.

BY: Teitur

I was just thinking that I have been missing you for way too long
There's something inside this weary head that wants us to love just instead
But I was just thinking, merely thinking
I've got loads of pictures
I've got the one of you in that dancing dress
But man I feel silly in that dim light
Just after doing you by the sight of My Kodak delights
I am sinking, merely sinking
I think about long distance rates instead of kissing you babe
I'm a singer without a song
If I wait for you longer my affection is stronger I,
I was just thinking, merely thinking
This boat is sinking
I'm tired of postcards, especially the ones with cute dogs and cupids
I'm tired of calling you, missing you, dreaming I've slept with you
Don't get me wrong I still desperately love you
Inside this weary head I just want us to love instead
But I was just thinking and thinking, merely thinking
I think about long distance rates instead of kissing you babe
And time is running me still
If I wait for you longer my affection is stronger
I was just thinking - I was just thinking
That I'm tired of calling you once a week
And thinking of long distance rates instead of kissing you
Baby I'm sinking, merely sinking 

Love Sucks.

Its way too close to the 19th for me to even function. One year of my life without her, and one year of my life that ive almost live the way i should... it shouldnt have taken me losing her to do that though. :(


I have lost more than her though. Sometimes someone only has to get a significant other to be a complete disappointment. this year ive almost lost 2 other best friends to that. One i did, and the other is making some kind of an effort. At least we share work and have a damn good time doing so. I wonder if this is how amber felt when i married keith and moved away.... then i think, "no it wasn't because she came to New York to be near me..." Sometimes i wonder if I stopped loving them if it would hurt less.... but then i realize i may not even understand love.


When people say 'I love you' it generally means nothing to me. I take it as 'you're a good friend, ill see you tomorrow'... i dont feel as though i am truly loved by anyone else other than family. I dont even know the meaning of love in any other way than unconditional, and thats the kind of love i have for my daughter, mother, sister... etc, and the kind that my heart granted the wonderful man who gladly accepted the role as my father and now grandfather to emmalie.


There is one thing in this world that truly hurts everyone and that thing isnt anger... or fear.... its LOVE. why do people hurt? because someone they love either left them, died, lied or anything else stupid. There are many ways to hurt someone you love, way more than ways there are to hurt an enemy. Think about it.... I am sure in your mind right now you're thinking "thats not true, i could burn my enemies house down" and sure you could! but only words can break the heart of someone who loves you and it takes matches, gasoline and effort to hurt that enemy. If you burned down the house of someone who loved you... now that... would be the end of it. To your dismay you might hurt more because eventually the person who loved you, if it was true love, would forgive you. And this love i speak of isnt the "boyfriend/girlfriend" kind of 'love'... its real love... the kind of love that people are lucky to know... or like said before, unconditional.


Yesterday was valentines day, and the 75% of people who didnt have a "valentine" or a significant other, either moped about it, or claimed they didnt recognize the holiday as anything other than a way to spend their money.  Truth is, they were just praying that someone would think of them too... you know, that little surprise in the mail, at school, at work, or even a text message that made their day. everyone wants love, but love to most is nothing more than words they wanna hear or actions they wanna see. 


WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY POINT. LOVE:


There are 28 definitions of "love" in the dictionary. some of those being:

 

love

  

[luhv]  Show IPAnoun, verb, loved, lov·ing.

–noun

1.

a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

2.

a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, asfor a parent, child, or friend.

3.

sexual passion or desire.

4.

a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person;sweetheart.

5.

(used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection,or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?

6.

a love affair;  an intensely amorous incident; amour.

7.

sexual intercourse; copulation.

8.

( initial capital letter ) a personification of sexual affection,as Eros or Cupid.

9.

affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love ofone's neighbor.

10.

strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: herlove of books.

11.

the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love.

1.) would you say this is "real".... 

2.) is this unconditional?

3.) lookie there!  physical love.

4.) looks real... almost like unconditional.

5.) just a nickname.

6.) someone gets hurt.

7.) again, physical love.

8.) back to physical.

9.) this isnt necessarily love, its just the action of caring.

10.) i like lots of things, so do others.

11.) materialistic almost.  nothing to do with the feelings of another.

I sound skeptical and cynical. however im just honest.


if anyone can tell me what "love" is other than explain how i feel about my family, please tell me. Thanks.


AND, make it also noted that I love Valentines Day, and i too also sit and wait for mail or that little gift to pop up at work :) 


All in all, love sucks....
you always get hurt in the end.