Layla Durocher is a third-year media promotion and management major and writes a column for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
That’s what I always envisioned for my life after college graduation. I’d find myself with a nine to five job, make a steady paycheck and work until I’m dead. I was never truly satisfied with that pathway. What else was I supposed to do when that is the life expected for college graduates?
I never majored in business or entrepreneurship. I was set on a path to work a full time job. However, that all changed in the second half of my freshman year. My best friend, Elizabeth Pavey, was graduating high school. I took plenty of photography classes and acquired a photoshop certification through my own high school career, so she asked me to take her photos. I was so excited to be able to take photos of someone who meant so much to me.
Over a series of multiple days during the spring semester, we traveled around nearby counties to take countless photos to celebrate her graduation. As I sat in the darkness of my dorm room, editing her photos, I felt a spark within myself that I had never felt, not even in my photography classes.
From there, I made a new Instagram and Facebook page and got to work. I promoted my business in any way I could. I was attending local graduations and dance recitals in order to post photos online for publicity. I was offering free photoshoots to anyone who would take the offer. I spent the entire summer working to grow my business.
Suddenly, the summer was over and school was starting back up.
It was back to working towards getting my nine to five job. I did not feel the same fulfillment in my classes as I felt towards working on growing my businesses. That was until I started applying the techniques learned in class to my real world experiences. I took skills from my digital marketing classes to grow my social platforms. I took management classes that elevated my workflow. My extracurricular activities taught me time management.
All of these skills prepare you for more than the “American dream” ideology that states that you should work until you’re dead. The difference is how you apply it. It would be easy to settle for a nine to five. I never wanted it to be easy, because what is the fun in that? Having the ability to pursue more than the “American dream” takes a lot of confidence.
Finding confidence within yourself is extremely difficult, but by surrounding yourself with good people, it can make finding your purpose and confidence so much easier. My best friends here at college are all in creative fields, ranging from journalism, media and even theater.
We push each other to be the best versions of ourselves. For example, when growing my business, I would have photoshoots with my friends centered around the holidays.
Jessica Bergfors, Maria Nevins, and Brenden Rowan always told me what they thought about my work, which pushed me to try harder and grow in my craft. Finding those kinds of people can lead you to where you’re truly meant to be. They push you to grow as a person, friend and visionary.
Finding confidence also relies on believing in yourself. I frequently found myself saying statements such as: I am destined for great things. I am a first generation college student who is soaking up every ounce of the college experience I can get. When my three years are over, I am ready for my next steps.
The hardest days were when people doubted the credibility of my college education. Over the entirety of my college career I heard things such as, “College is only teaching you what they want you to know.” I always disagreed with that sentiment. I was stretching myself thin every semester to learn everything I could. I made it my mission to not end up as what Pink Floyd would call “another brick in the wall,” I was putting in all of this work to be told, “If you’re just going to run your own business, why are you even in college anyway?”
The answer to that was simple: experience.
I am now a fully registered business with the secretary of state, LD Photos LLC. I get to pursue my dreams and be my own boss. I owe all of that to skills I learned at Ball State University. The experience I gained throughout the Ball State Department of Media is something I truly believe I would not have found anywhere else. These professors, student organizations and immersive class projects prepared be to dive headfirst into owning a business.
Along with owning my own business, I plan on working a nine to five digital marketing job. This will result in me working on my business on weeknights and weekends. Keeping busy and working on things I am passionate about gives me purpose in my life. I encourage you to find your passion, drive and purpose.
With everything students learn at college, they don’t have to be stuck on a singular path. They have the choice to branch out and try different things in order to find the direction that works for them and their lifestyle.
Graduation will be here sooner than you think. Find yourself in your college experience. Push yourself to achieve more than the standard nine to five job. Immerse yourself in student organizations. Becoming the person you are meant to be will help you find true fulfillment within not only your career, but also your life.
Contact Layla Durocher via layla.durocher@bsu.edu
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