Senior Nakyung Lee is a foreign exchange student from —, South Koreas, who has been studying in the US for almost a year and one of several students entering the workforce after graduation.
Lee plans on working in the fashion industry and hopes to design costumes for performances and eventually start her own fashion brand or own her own business. Lee’s aspirations drive from not only her dreams, but her need for stability.
“돈을 벌고 싶다는 마음이 큰 것 같아요,” Lee says. “돈이 행복 그 자체는 아니지만 행복을 위한 수단
중 하나라고 저는 그렇게 생각하거든요. 저는 제가 먹고 싶은 거 마음껏 먹고
가족들이랑 여행도 자주 가고 친구들에게 선물도 자주 주고싶은데 그러기 위해선 돈이
필요하더라구요, 그러기 위해서는 사회에 진출해야 하니까 그래서 일을 하고 싶어요.”
“The biggest reason is that I want to make money,” Lee says. “I know that money isn’t the key to happiness, but I do believe it’s one of the tools to achieve it. I want to be able to eat whatever I want, travel frequently with my family, and buy gifts for my friends. To do all of that, I need money, and to make money, I need to work. That’s why I want to enter the workforce.”
Lee says she feels lots of support from her family about her decision to enter the fashion industry, and says her mother has been preparing to start a business with her since middle school. However, others in her life have shared their trepidations.
“엄마가 가장 적극적이고 제 몇몇 한국 친구들이 가장 덜 지지해주는 것 같아요,” Lee states. “그들이
완전히 지지를 해주지 않는 것은 아니지만 뭔가 제 결정에 약간의 의심을 가지고 있다는
느낌이 들어요.”
“My mom is the most supportive, but some of my Korean friends seem a bit less supportive,” Lee states. “It’s not that they’re completely against it, but I get the feeling that they have some doubts about my decision.”
While in the US, Lee had many opprotunities to expand her knowledge in fashion.
“ 이미 큰 영향을 끼치고 있거든요,” Lee says. “개인적으로
이곳에서 저는 한국에서 해볼 수 없었던 경험을 했는데 이건 바로 theater club에서
코스튬 크루로서 다양한 코스튬들을 직접 고르고 수선하고 옷도 직접 만들어봤던
경험이에요. 정말 패션과 관련된 직접적인 경험을 해보니 제가 이 일을 진심으로
좋아하고 패션쪽에서 꼭 일해야겠다는 마음이 강하게 생겼어요. 그리고 이곳에서
지내면서 다양한 사람들이 자신의 길을 개척하고 자신의 삶과 목표를 위해 사는 모습을
보면서 저도 남의 길이 아닌, 제가 정말 원하는 길을 가야겠다는 생각이 들었어요.
아무튼, 미국에서의 경험은 단순히 미래의 직업 뿐 아니라 저의 인생 전체에 있어 큰
변화를 가져올 것이라고 생각해요!”
“Being here, I’ve had opportunities that I wouldn’t have had in Korea,” Lee says. “One of the biggest experiences was working in my school’s theater club as a costume crew member. I got to pull costumes and fix costumes and even create clothes. That hands-on experience made me realize how much I truly love fashion and reinforced(리인폴스) my determination to work in the fashion industry. Also, seeing many people here pursue their own paths and live according to their own goals, has really inspired me. It made me realize that I shouldn’t follow someone else’s path but I need to carve out my own. So i think!, My experience in the US won’t just impact my future career; it will also be a major turning point in my entire life.”
Lee is optimistic about her future and recommends that other’s take the same path as her
“저는 자신이 원하는 일을 하라는 말을 해주고 싶어요,” Lee states. “물론 이 말은 현실성이 없고 너무
낙관적으로 들릴 수도 있겠지만 음… 저는 그냥 자신이 가질 수 있는 선택지를 가능한만큼
넓히고 그 선택지들 중 자신의 마음이 원하는 방향을 선택하라고 말하고 싶어요. 자신이 진정
원하는 일을 하면 없던 에너지도 생기고 어떤 일이든 조금은 더 긍정적인 방향으로 생각하고
행동할 수 있는 원동력이 생긴다고 저는 믿어요.”
“I would tell them to pursue what they truly want to do,” Lee states. “I know, that might sound unrealistic or kinda optimistic, but I believe that it’s important to expand your options as much as possible and then choose the path that your heart genuinely wants to follow. When you do something you’re passionate about, I think you will gain energy that you didn’t even know you had. And You will become more positive and find more motivation that keeps you going. That’s why I believe in following your own path rather than someone else’s expectations.”