Fashion and BBYO. My two loves, the two things I know I will forever hold memories with for the rest of my life. Both of these things are so similar, yet so different for me. In this duo of my favorite things, I have created bonds and memories that will last me a lifetime. I have also experienced the feeling of falling in and out of love. Love is a powerful word, which is why I feel that after falling in and out of love, my love is and will forever be strong for these three things.

Fashion is my passion; the thing I want to do for the rest of my life. I have been designing for the past 8 years, and I have used fashion as my escape for as long as I can remember. If I'm upset I sketch. Although fashion is my escape, for a year it was ruined, and I told myself and everyone around me that I quit. All because of one toxic teacher, a lady that told me I would never get anywhere, that I would never be good. All because I couldn't sew in a straight line. Two years into my passion, and I had fallen out of love. My parents encouraged me to go back into fashion, and they found me a new school with a new teacher, so I said I would try it. That was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I refound my love, and it's stronger than ever. I've made friends and found teachers that I love and that support me and my progress.

BBYO is my happy place. Through my journey in BBYO, I've made a lifetime of friends I would have never met without such a beautiful organization. I have had experiences in my religion I would never have had without this organization. The time and effort I have put in is something I would never think to take back because of all of the amazing experiences that I have had. Even so, with all the amazing times, I have had a very hard time too. This past May, I had my chapter elections where I ran for a position and lost six times. Six times I watched other people win positions while I kept losing. Six times I faked a smile while I clapped for the other members of my chapter who had just won the positions I had lost. That night was a heartbreak, something I thought I would never get over. I thought I would never be able to show up to a chapter meeting after that. I have though. I have gone to meetings and I love the organization more than ever. I feel that BBYO is my happy place again, even after the losses I still have my friends and my love.

These two are still so similar in my mind because they are both an escape from reality and something I can go to when I feel like I don't have anything else. These two things, no matter how much I want to leave these, I will always come back because I will always love them.